SnO2/Al2O3 supports with different SnO2 loadings were prepared by using a deposition–precipitation method and characterized by using N2 and CO adsorption–desorption, XRD, H2 temperature‐programmed reduction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. SnO2 dispersed finely on the Al2O3 surface with a capacity of 0.172 mmol 100 m−2, which equals 6.4 % SnO2 loading. Below this loading, no crystalline SnO2 can be detected owing to the formation of the sub‐monolayer‐ or monolayer‐dispersed SnO2 phase. Crystalline SnO2 can be observed only if the SnO2 loading reaches 9 %. With use of these SnO2/Al2O3 supports, all prepared Pd/SnO2/Al2O3 catalysts demonstrate increased activity compared to Pd/SnO2 and Pd/Al2O3 owing to the presence of more active oxygen species on SnO2/Al2O3 supports as well as their higher surface areas, which improve Pd dispersion. This result indicates that with SnO2/Al2O3 supports, less amount of Pd can be used to obtain catalysts with competitive performance.