Jet fuel shortages are threatening to disrupt summer travel across Europe and Asia due to the loss of supplies from the Middle East following the U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28, 2026, and Iran's subsequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz [1]. Before the conflict, exports from the Persian Gulf were the largest single source of jet fuel for the global market, with Europe importing about 20% of its jet fuel from the Gulf, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) [1]. The blockade has cut off these exports, directly impacting Europe and causing ripple effects in Asia, where refineries in China, South Korea, and India—also reliant on Middle Eastern crude—are struggling to meet demand [1].
Global jet fuel exports dropped 30% to 1.3 million barrels per day in April 2026, down from 1.9 million barrels per day in April 2025, according to Kpler data [1]. Jet fuel loaded on tankers last week fell 50% to 18.6 million barrels, compared to 37.8 million barrels in the same week in 2025 [1]. Valero Energy's Chief Operating Officer, Gary Simmons, stated, "Jet is incredibly short," highlighting the severity of the supply crunch [1].
The European Union faces a "systemic jet fuel shortage" if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, according to a warning from Airports Council International Europe in an April 9 letter to the EU [1]. Jet fuel prices in Europe have doubled over the past year, reaching $187 per barrel as of May 1, 2026, per the International Air Transport Association [1]. This surge in prices has already forced major airlines to cut flights, with Lufthansa reducing 20,000 short-haul flights through October, partly due to fuel costs [1].
As of April 21, there was "no evidence of actual shortages in Europe," according to European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas, but commercial jet fuel stocks are under pressure [1]. The airports association warned that shortages would hit Europe if exports through the Strait of Hormuz do not resume in a "significant and stable way" within three weeks, and oil flows did not normalize in April [1]. The situation is expected to take weeks, if not longer, to resolve even if the conflict ends soon [1].
CONCLUSION
The ongoing Iran conflict and resulting blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have caused a sharp decline in global jet fuel exports, driving up prices and forcing airlines to cut flights. With no immediate resolution in sight, Europe and Asia face significant risks of jet fuel shortages that could disrupt summer travel and strain airline operations.