Deutsche Bank has agreed to invest in the deployment of 1,600 metric tonnes of alternative aviation fuel (also known as ‘sustainable’ aviation fuel or SAF) with the Lufthansa Group.
The investment will enable an estimated emissions saving of around 5,500 metric tonnes of CO2 – or the equivalent of approximately 520 flights between Frankfurt and London operated by an Airbus A320neo, according to Lufthansa.
The agreement comes as the European aviation group – which also includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, ITA Airways and Swiss – reported “an overall increase in demand for more sustainable travel options”.
"Deutsche Bank's decision to support the deployment of SAF with Lufthansa Group at this scale is a compelling demonstration that more sustainable flying is becoming increasingly important in the business travel sector,” said Frank Naeve, SVP of global sales and distribution at Lufthansa Group.
Jörg Eigendorf, chief sustainability officer at Deutsche Bank, added: “It is important for us to send a signal: only if there is reliable demand will SAF producers invest in production and make alternative fuels more competitive. This is a key part of our overall approach: we want to reduce CO2 emissions from our business travel and offset the remaining emissions where feasible."
According to Lufthansa, some 1,700 companies worldwide invested in alternative aviation fuels via its corporate products in 2025, including the "Sustainable Corporate Value Fare", where corporates can purchase alternative fuels to reduce future CO2 emissions.
However, it noted that booking a more sustainable flying option does not mean SAF is used to refuel that specific flight. Rather, it supports wider SAF use across the group’s route network.
The group also reported that more than five per cent of all travellers booked a more sustainable flight option in 2025, including its "Green Fares", which include compensation for carbon emissions within the ticket price.
Lufthansa said the volume of alternative aviation fuel it sold in 2025 was more than double the previous year’s total, though it did not specify the exact amount.