Why it matters
- U.S. exports of kerosene-type jet fuel averaged 368,000 barrels a day in July, up from 187,000 a year earlier, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
- The five highest monthly export totals in EIA records, which start in 1981, all came from March to July 2026. March set the record at 376,000 barrels a day.
- The weekly pace has cooled. Exports were 327,000 barrels a day in the week ending Oct. 2, and the four-week average was 295,000, down from a peak of 406,000 in mid-August.
Analysis: this piece includes our interpretation of the facts reported.
U.S. jet fuel exports are running at the fastest pace on record in 2026. Exports of kerosene-type jet fuel averaged 368,000 barrels a day in July, nearly double the 187,000 barrels a day of July 2025, according to monthly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Weekly estimates show exports of 327,000 barrels a day in the week ending Oct. 2.
How much jet fuel does the U.S. export each month?
Every month from March to July 2026 topped the previous monthly record of 300,000 barrels a day, set in December 2025, EIA data show. March was the highest at 376,000 barrels a day. July is the latest month of official data.
| Month | 2026 (thousand b/d) | 2025 (thousand b/d) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 270 | 224 |
| February | 267 | 186 |
| March | 376 | 244 |
| April | 334 | 189 |
| May | 336 | 201 |
| June | 350 | 251 |
| July | 368 | 187 |
Source: EIA, U.S. exports of kerosene-type jet fuel, monthly. For the full year, exports averaged 216,000 barrels a day in 2025 and 210,000 in 2024.
What do the latest weekly numbers show?
The weekly pace has slowed since August. The four-week average of exports peaked at 406,000 barrels a day in the week ending Aug. 14, the highest in the weekly series, which starts in 2010. It fell to 295,000 in the week ending Oct. 2. That is still above the 229,000 average for the same four weeks in 2025.
| Week ending | Exports (thousand b/d) | 4-week average |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 14 | 372 | 406 |
| Aug. 21 | 359 | 405 |
| Aug. 28 | 331 | 376 |
| Sept. 4 | 309 | 343 |
| Sept. 11 | 229 | 307 |
| Sept. 18 | 267 | 284 |
| Sept. 25 | 358 | 291 |
| Oct. 2 | 327 | 295 |
Source: EIA weekly imports and exports. Weekly figures are estimates and can differ from the monthly data.
The highest single week on record was 455,000 barrels a day in the week ending May 8, EIA data show.
Why are U.S. jet fuel exports so high?
Prices abroad pulled U.S. fuel overseas. Jet fuel prices rose after the Strait of Hormuz closed on Feb. 28, the EIA said in a June 8 analysis. Europe and Asia had imported much of their jet fuel from the Persian Gulf. Prices there traded at large premiums to the U.S. Gulf Coast in March and April, which drew U.S. supply abroad.
U.S. refiners responded by making more jet fuel. The EIA said U.S. Gulf Coast jet fuel averaged $3.91 a gallon from March through May, about double its price at the start of the year. In the week ending May 1, the four-week average of U.S. jet fuel production passed 2 million barrels a day for the first time on record. Our oil market analysis covers the crude side of the same supply shock, and China's October pause on fuel exports has tightened Asian supply further.
Where does U.S. jet fuel go?
Europe took about half of July's shipments. The Netherlands was the largest buyer at 93,000 barrels a day, followed by the United Kingdom at 60,000, according to EIA destination data.
| Destination, July 2026 | Thousand b/d |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | 93 |
| United Kingdom | 60 |
| Canada | 37 |
| Mexico | 33 |
| Brazil | 32 |
| France | 21 |
Are U.S. jet fuel supplies tight?
Not yet, but stocks are lower than a year ago. U.S. jet fuel inventories were 42.5 million barrels in the week ending Oct. 2, the EIA said, down about 4% from 44.3 million a year earlier. Refiners produced 1.86 million barrels a day that week. The EIA's next weekly report is due Oct. 15, and the next monthly export data are due Oct. 30. Oil prices are on our world markets page.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. exports of kerosene-type jet fuel, monthly and annual
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly U.S. exports of kerosene-type jet fuel and four-week average
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly imports and exports
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Kerosene-type jet fuel exports by destination
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly supply estimates and weekly U.S. jet fuel stocks
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. jet fuel production rises after prices doubled in March, June 8, 2026