Lufthansa Group orders 5 long-haul Airbus A350-1000 aircraft
To achieve CO₂ reduction targets
The Lufthansa Group has announced a significant fleet expansion, purchasing additional Airbus A350-1000 long-haul aircraft. This brings its total firm orders for this model from ten to fifteen.
The new aircraft are slated for delivery between 2028 and 2030, and the total value of the order, at the list price, is approximately $2 billion. This brings the group’s A350 fleet to 60 A350-900s and 15 A350-1000s, cementing its position as one of the largest A350 customers globally.
Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, highlighted the order’s significance: “The order underscores our immense confidence in our long-standing, close, and successful partnership with Airbus. With these state-of-the-art A350 long-haul jets, we are accelerating the largest fleet modernisation in our history.
“We are investing more than ever before to make air transport more sustainable, to achieve our CO₂ reduction targets, and simultaneously offer our customers the highest level of comfort.”
Spohr also noted that, including this latest order, the Lufthansa Group has now ordered 770 aircraft from Airbus, affirming the airline group’s status as Airbus’ most significant customer worldwide. The upcoming integration of ITA Airways, set for January 2025, will further bolster the Airbus fleet of Lufthansa Group airlines with an additional 100 short- and long-haul aircraft.
The Lufthansa Group is pursuing an ambitious strategy to modernise its fleet, emphasising sustainability, cost efficiency, and premium quality. Currently, the group operates a fleet of around 740 commercial aircraft. With the latest order, the Lufthansa Group has roughly 250 new, fuel-efficient aircraft on its order list, including 100 long-haul jets of the latest design.
A key objective of the new aircraft purchases is to reduce emissions significantly. The A350-1000 aircraft, with its advanced twin-engine technology, is set to replace older, four-engine aircraft, including the Boeing 747-400 and the Airbus A340-600 and A340-300 models. These new aircraft consume up to 35% less fuel than their predecessors, reducing CO₂ emissions.
Lufthansa Group is committed to reducing its net CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 2019 through a combination of reduction measures and compensation strategies. The company is also working towards achieving a neutral CO₂ balance by 2050, making these investments crucial to reaching those ambitious sustainability goals.
The A350-1000, measuring 73.8 metres in length, offers about 15% more capacity than the A350-900, which is expected to help further optimise long-haul operations and customer experience. The first batch of these aircraft will be delivered in April 2026, following the ten A350-1000s previously ordered in March 2023.
The fleet overhaul marks a significant chapter in the Lufthansa Group’s ongoing efforts to modernise its aircraft while enhancing sustainability practices. This ensures the company remains at the forefront of the aviation industry’s drive towards an eco-friendly future.
Hero image: The new aircraft will be delivered between 2028 and 2030. Credit: Lufthansa Group
