GOL & TAP Air Portugal First to Adopt IATA FuelIS for Smarter Fuel Management

GOL and TAP Air Portugal have become the first airlines to implement IATA FuelIS, a next-generation analytics tool developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The platform enables airlines to benchmark their fuel efficiency and make informed decisions to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions, both of which are critical in a climate-conscious industry.

Fuel can account for 25–30% of an airline’s operating costs, and with decarbonization targets looming, accurate fuel tracking is becoming increasingly vital. “Fuel management is key for airlines,” said IATA SVP Nick Careen, noting that FuelIS offers actionable comparisons across routes, fleet types, and regions, based on operational data from over 220 airlines.

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FuelIS: Data-Powered Efficiency Gains

FuelIS draws on flight-level data from 8 million annual flights via IATA’s Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) and Flight Data eXchange (FDX) programs. The insights gained are not only cost-saving but also help track emissions reductions and align with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) goals. The platform integrates with IATA’s Fuel Efficiency Gap Analysis (FEGA), supporting the development and monitoring of fuel strategies.

Since 2005, IATA's fuel initiatives have identified potential annual reductions of 4.76 million tonnes in fuel usage, worth $3.8 billion in savings industry-wide.

Airlines Push for Operational and Environmental Edge

TAP CEO Luís Rodrigues emphasized that FuelIS helps quantify fleet modernization impact and adjust strategies in real time. GOL COO Albert Pérez highlighted competitive advantages, saying, “FuelIS equips us to make smarter fuel decisions and track progress.”

As fuel remains a central cost and emissions driver, adoption of FuelIS signals a growing shift toward data-backed, climate-aware aviation practices.