For those departing Singapore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is planning to introduce a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Levy.
The levy will apply to Origin-Destination traffic, cargo shipments, and general and business aviation flights departing Singapore from 1 October 2026, applicable for tickets or services sold from 1 April 2026.
The levy will be split into four bands:
- Band 1: Southeast Asia
- Band 2: Northeast Asia, South Asia, Australia, Papua New Guinea
- Band 3: Africa, Central and West Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Pacific Islands, New Zealand
- Band 4: Americas
This will then be levied based on distance and class of service
- Economy Cabin: comprising Economy Class and Premium Economy Class
- Premium Cabin: comprising Business Class and First Class
The SAF Levy for Premium Cabin is four times that for the Economy Cabin for the same geographical band. The airline must collect the SAF Levy and display it as a distinct line item on the air ticket sold.
The SAF Levy will only apply to Origin-Destination passengers and not those transiting through Singapore.
So, what do the numbers look like?
Not that much in the grand scheme of a ticket – but still a chunk of cash.
| Geographical Band | Passenger SAF Levy (Per Passenger Charge) | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Cabin | Premium Cabin | |
| Band I Southeast Asia |
S$1.00 | S$4.00 |
| Band II Northeast Asia, South Asia, Australia, Papua New Guinea |
S$2.80 | S$11.20 |
| Band III Africa, Central and West Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand |
S$6.40 | S$25.60 |
| Band IV Americas |
S$10.40 | S$41.60 |
The CAAS had previously estimated the SAF Levy to be around S$3.00, S$6.00, and S$16.00 for a passenger in economy class travelling direct to Bangkok, Tokyo, and London, respectively. The actual SAF Levy amounts for economy tickets to these same destinations are S$1.00, S$2.80 and S$6.40, respectively. The lower SAF Levy amounts reflect the lower prevailing cost of SAF compared to when the initial estimates were made.
If you’re shipping cargo, expect this to go up per kilogram. For those who have a private jet, well, open your wallet, I think the term is. The table below shows you how much
| ICAO Code Letter | Wingspan (in m) | Aircraft Examples | SAF Levy (by aircraft) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band I | Band II | Band III | Band IV | |||
| A | <15 | Cessna 404 Titan | S$40 | S$110 | S$240 | S$390 |
| B | 15-24 | Bombardier Challenger 600 / Gulfstream G-IV / Embraer ERJ-135 | S$100 | S$280 | S$640 | S$1,040 |
| C | 24-36 | Bombardier Global 6000 / Gulfstream G650 | S$190 | S$530 | S$1,200 | S$1,950 |
| D | 36-52 | A310-200 / B767-300 | S$380 | S$1,050 | S$2,400 | S$3,900 |
| E | 52-65 | A350-900 / B787-9/10 | S$570 | S$1,580 | S$3,600 | S$5,850 |
| F | 65-80 | A380 / B747-8 | S$630 | S$1,750 | S$4,000 | S$6,500 |
Certain flights, such as training flights and flights for charitable or humanitarian purposes, will not be subject to the SAF Levy.
The SAF Levy collected will go into a statutory SAF Fund managed by CAAS.
In Quotes
Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, said:
“The introduction of the SAF Levy marks a major step forward in Singapore’s effort to build a more sustainable and competitive air hub. It provides a mechanism for all aviation users to do their part to contribute to sustainability at a cost which is manageable for the air hub. We need to make a start. We have done so in a measured way, and we are giving industry, businesses and the public time to adjust.”
Yup. Another charge on your ticket
We’re all used to extra charges across our tickets, with little bits being tacked on.
For a lot of passengers (especially in Economy or Premium Economy), you’re not going to see a lot tacked onto your ticket. For even long-haul tickets, the additional taxes are not too much of a burden.
For those connecting through Singapore as a pit-stop, this is one cost you won’t have to deal with.
What will be a burden is if you bring your private jet to Singapore. But then money is an odd concept at that point, especially if you’re flying in your mobile place.
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