Jet fuel is aviation turbine fuel used in aircraft whose approved engines and fuel systems are designed for it. For most airline and business aviation readers, the relevant civil grades are Jet A and Jet A-1. The aircraft’s approved operating documentation determines which fuel may be used; a general article is not a substitute for that approval.
Jet fuel and avgas serve different aircraft
Jet A and Jet A-1 are kerosene-type turbine fuels. Aviation gasoline, or avgas, is associated with piston-engine aircraft. These fuels are not interchangeable simply because both are used in aviation. The grade requested for a flight must match the aircraft and the operator’s procedures. The FAA explains this distinction for the two aircraft categories in its aviation fuel guidance.
Jet A compared with Jet A-1
Both are widely recognised civil turbine fuel grades. A key specification difference is the maximum freezing point: Shell’s civil grade reference gives −40°C for Jet A and −47°C for Jet A-1. It lists a minimum flash point of 38°C for both. These are specification figures, not flight-planning advice or a promise that a particular grade is available at a particular airport. The operator should confirm the permitted grade and the actual local supply. See Shell’s civil jet fuel grade reference.
What the grade specification does not tell you
A freezing-point or flash-point figure describes a grade specification. It does not tell an operator the aircraft’s fuel quantity, dispatch limits, local price or whether a supplier can serve a particular stand at a particular time. Those are separate aircraft, operational and commercial questions. The grade actually supplied and its documentation must follow the applicable quality and operator procedures.
Military designations and less common civil grades appear in fuel references, but operators should not use a broad list of names as a substitute for the aircraft’s approved fuel information. This article focuses on the two civil grades most relevant to the requests covered here.
Why availability is an airport-specific question
Knowing that a grade is commonly used globally does not confirm availability for a specific aircraft, date and volume. A request should identify the airport, timing, grade and expected uplift. Local operating conditions, provider arrangements and the flight’s final details may affect the confirmation. Read the separate Jet A-1 availability and uplift planning guide for the station-level checklist.
What a quotation does and does not establish
The commercial quote sets out a proposed basis for supply, subject to its conditions. The fuel release or equivalent confirmation is a separate operational step; neither is proof that physical delivery has occurred. If the flight changes, reconfirm the applicable arrangement. The quote-to-uplift guide explains the stages in more detail.
Where sustainable aviation fuel fits
Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, refers to qualifying alternative fuel pathways and applicable product requirements, not a separate guarantee of supply at every airport. Physical availability, approved blending and the documentary basis for an environmental claim are separate matters. ICAO describes approved conversion pathways in its SAF information. Operators should ask what product and evidence can be provided for the specific uplift. This guide does not imply ASM has a book-and-claim programme or certified SAF coverage.
Information to send with a fuel request
- Airport and planned operating time, with time zone.
- Aircraft type and registration or flight identification.
- Aircraft-approved fuel grade and estimated quantity with unit.
- Known schedule changes or local constraints.
- Contact responsible for commercial acceptance and operational updates.
ASM provides aviation fuel through a network of oil companies, local fuel suppliers and into-wing refuelling partners. Explore aviation fuel services or send a station-specific enquiry.