DHL Express Buys 5 Million Litres of SAF at Paris CDG in Sector First

DHL Express will uplift 5 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel at Paris Charles de Gaulle over the next twelve months, under a one-year renewable supply agreement with TotalEnergies. It is the first SAF deal for any express cargo carrier at CDG and, according to Air Cargo Week and Air Cargo News, the first time DHL Express has used SAF anywhere in France.

The first DHL aircraft to depart CDG on SAF-blended fuel did so on 9 November 2026. The carrier confirmed the milestone through its French subsidiary.

The contract structure matters as much as the fuel. A one-year renewable term gives both parties an exit and an expansion option at the twelve-month mark. Whether the network served grows beyond the current four destinations is the question a second term would answer.

What does the deal cover?

The numbers are modest when placed against total aviation fuel consumption. Five million litres per year is a fraction of what a single large hub burns in a week. The claimed environmental benefit is approximately 11,800 metric tons of CO2e avoided annually for DHL's French operation, according to both outlets.

SAF-powered departures from CDG will serve four DHL hubs: Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan and London. The French operation is not a peripheral one. DHL's CDG hub sits in the airport's cargo zone, operates around the clock, and opened in 2021 following a €170 million investment, Air Cargo News reports.

Philippe Prétat, CEO of DHL Express France, framed the agreement as proof of compatibility between performance and emissions goals. "By becoming the first express operator to use SAF at Paris CDG Airport, we are demonstrating that world-class international logistics performance and a reduced carbon footprint can go hand in hand," he said.

How significant is DHL's wider SAF position?

The CDG volumes gain context from the carrier's existing fuel mix. Travis Cobb, EVP Global Network Operations and Aviation at DHL Express, said: "In 2025, SAF already accounted for 10% of the aviation fuel used across DHL's own aircraft fleet, positioning our Group as a leader in both logistics and aviation sustainability."

That 10% figure, cited by Air Cargo Week and Air Cargo News, refers to DHL's own aircraft fleet rather than the network of contracted feeders and partner capacity that carries much express freight. France now joins a set of SAF-supplied stations DHL has built across its own operation. The Paris deal adds volume to that effort, though the carrier has not disclosed how the 5 million litres compare with CDG's total annual uplift.

Who supplies the fuel?

TotalEnergies holds the supplier side of the agreement and will provide the full 5 million litres over the year. Mathieu Soulas, Director of New Mobilities at TotalEnergies, is the executive named on the company's side of the deal, Air Cargo Week reports.

What happens after twelve months?

The volumes are small; the milestone is not. A first-ever express cargo SAF agreement at one of Europe's largest hub airports carries weight beyond its litres, and the renewable structure means both parties will face an early decision on extending and potentially expanding the arrangement. Whether the destination list grows beyond Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan and London in a subsequent term will indicate whether this is a demonstration or a durable shift.