Optimizing Flight Operations for Lower Emissions: A Review of Wind-Aware Routing, AI, and SAF-Linked Strategies

Abstract

Commercial aviation remains a significant emissions source, while fuel continues to dominate airline operating costs. For that reason, operational efficiency is one of the most immediate levers available for lowering both climate impact and expenditure. This review examines aviation route optimization through four interacting dimensions: wind-aware and altitude-aware trajectory design, airspace-level congestion management, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted planning, and the coupling of routing decisions with sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Literature published between 2010 and 2024 was screened from major scientific databases, producing a final set of 50 studies for detailed synthesis. Across the reviewed work, wind-informed routing commonly delivers fuel savings of about 1-4.2% on long-haul missions, while congestion mitigation and collaborative flow management add a further 2-5% at network level. AI-based methods report the largest operational improvements, with several studies indicating fuel-burn reductions approaching 14% under data-rich conditions. SAF deployment mainly affects lifecycle emissions, but several studies also point to favorable combustion and efficiency characteristics that can reinforce optimized routing. The review identifies the principal synergies, practical barriers, and research priorities associated with these approaches, including certification, explainability, digital data sharing, and equitable global deployment. Overall, integrated optimization emerges as a credible pathway for reducing the energy and carbon intensity of flight.