# Tankering > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tankering > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tankering.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankering > Source revision: 1350415678 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) In [aviation](/source/aviation), '''tankering''' is the practice of loading more [fuel](/source/Aviation_fuel) than necessary for a trip, to take advantage of lower fuel prices at the airport of origin, or when fuel is in short supply at the destination airport.{{cite web |last1=Hubert |first1=Tanguy |last2=Guo |first2=Christopher |last3=Mouton |first3=Christopher A. |last4=Powers |first4=James D. |title=Tankering Fuel on U.S. Air Force Transport Aircraft: An Assessment of Cost Savings |url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR837.html |publisher=RAND Corporation |access-date=21 November 2022 |language=en |date=23 June 2015}} Tankering increases the weight of the aircraft and therefore total fuel consumption, however it can still reduce costs if the difference in fuel prices is great enough. Fuel prices can vary by over 50% within Europe, with price differences of 20% to 30% between major airports.{{cite web |title=Fuel Tankering: economic benefits and environmental impact. Think Paper #1 - June 2019 |url=https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/2020-01/eurocontrol-think-paper-1-fuel-tankering.pdf |publisher=Eurocontrol Aviation Intelligence Unit |access-date=19 November 2022}}{{rp|3-4}} Modern [flight management system](/source/flight_management_system)s can calculate the optimum amount of fuel to tanker for given origin and destination [fuel prices](/source/Gasoline_and_diesel_usage_and_pricing). In the [ECAC](/source/European_Civil_Aviation_Conference) area, full tankering is performed on approximately 15% of flights and partial tankering on a further 15% of flights. According to [Eurocontrol](/source/Eurocontrol), tankering on a typical {{convert|300|nmi|km mi|adj=on}} flight can increase fuel consumption by approximately 2.21%, and tankering on a typical {{convert|600|nmi|km mi|adj=on}} flight can increase fuel consumption by approximately 4.66%.{{rp|2}} Tankering can be limited by a need to arrive with a lower amount of fuel, to avoid exceeding the [maximum landing weight](/source/maximum_landing_weight), or to avoid [cold soaked fuel frost](/source/Ground_deicing_of_aircraft). While tankering reduces costs for airlines, it increases fuel consumption and therefore carbon emissions.{{cite web |title=Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/refueleu_aviation_-_sustainable_aviation_fuels.pdf |publisher=European Commission |access-date=19 November 2022 |date=14 July 2021}} [Taxing aviation fuel](/source/Aviation_taxation_and_subsidies) does not necessarily help reduce fuel consumption, because by increasing the price difference between jurisdictions which tax jet fuel and jurisdictions which do not, it can incentivise tankering.{{cite web |author=House of Commons Library |title=Taxing aviation fuel. Standard Note SN00523 (2012) |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00523/SN00523.pdf |access-date=19 November 2022}} == RefuelEU == The European [RefuelEU](/source/RefuelEU) legislation (in force since 1 January 2025) goal is to mandate the switch to [sustainable aviation fuel](/source/sustainable_aviation_fuel) (SAF) with the target ratios of 2% in 2025, 20% in 2035 and 70% in 2050.{{sfn|Cong|Zou|Lu|Shu|2026|p=4}}{{sfn|Rausch|Straubinger|2026|p=8}} Use of SAF causes high additional cost (US [Inflation Reduction Act](/source/Inflation_Reduction_Act) in 2022 offered incentives as high as $1.75 per [gallon](/source/gallon)).{{sfn|Cong|Zou|Lu|Shu|2026|p=4}} leading to tankering as a cost-avoidance mechanism.{{sfn|Cong|Zou|Lu|Shu|2026|p=5}} RefuelEU obliges aircraft to uplift fuel at all EU airports to prevent tankering.{{sfn|Rausch|Straubinger|2026|p=7}} ==See also== *[Jet fuel](/source/Jet_fuel) *[EU aviation fuel taxation](/source/EU_aviation_fuel_taxation) *[Aviation taxation and subsidies](/source/Aviation_taxation_and_subsidies) ==References== {{reflist}} == Sources == * {{cite web |last1=Cong |first1=Wei |last2=Zou |first2=Lin |last3=Lu |first3=Jiaying |last4=Shu |first4=Xin |last5=Li |first5=Weiping |title=Do Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandates Catalyze Decarbonization? Evidence From Europe's Pioneers |website=SSRN |url=https://ssrn.com/abstract=6448369 | type=preprint | date=21 March 2026}} * {{cite web |last1=Rausch |first1=Sebastian |last2=Straubinger |first2=Anna |date=April 2026 |title=Turbulence Ahead: Economic Policies for Decarbonizing Aviation |website=SSRN |url=https://ssrn.com/abstract=6509400}} ==External links== {{wiktionary|tanker}} *[https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/air/environment/refueleu-aviation_en RefuelEU] Category:Aircraft operations Category:Aviation fuels --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tankering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankering) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankering?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.