Two weeks ago, Delta Air Lines placed an order for 30 Boeing 787-10 widebody aircraft with options for 30 more. Aviation watchdog JonNYC, who had previously leaked Delta’s plan for this order, told us at Delta wasn’t done aircraft shopping and to an expect an order of Airbus widebodies also.
I acknowledged that the A330-900 was the most likely purchase but suggested that they could place an order for Airbus A350-900s also. I did not expect the order to come this quickly, but Delta has now announced:
- 16 Airbus A330-900s
- 15 Airbus A350-900s
On January 27, 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”) entered into a definitive agreement with Airbus S.A.S. to purchase 16 Airbus A330-900 aircraft and 15 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with an option to purchase up to an additional 20 widebody aircraft. Deliveries of the aircraft will begin in 2029. The A330-900 aircraft will be powered by the Trent 7000 engine and the A350-900 aircraft will utilize the Trent XWB-84 EP engine, both manufactured by Rolls-Royce.
Airbus A350-900, Credit: Delta
Delta A350-900
Boeing 787-10s are largely a 767 replacement. These deliveries don’t start until 2031. Delta needs planes earlier than that and the Airbus A330-900 plugs that gap, and adds to an existing fleet. And they needed a plan to replace Airbus A330-200s and -300s as well.
Meanwhile, the Airbus A350-900 gives Delta greater range than the 787-10s they’ve ordered and gets about 1,000 nautical miles more range than the A330-900 so it’s a good workhorse for long Asia and Africa routes. They already have 41 Airbus A350-900s.
Delta exercised options it already held, added to that, and gained additional options, exactly what I said would be the case.
DL also gained more engine overhaul rights from Rolls Royce, exactly as some of us predicted.
DL’s confirmed orders will take its widebody fleet to over 200 and even higher when the options for the 787-10s and the remaining widebody options are exercised.
and note that the latest engines for both the 339 and 359 have improved engines which will increase range and reduce fuel burn while improving reliability.
and to think that some – we know who – were convinced that DL would not have enough widebody orders to meet growth.
While UA fights with AA over Chicago, DL will be growing its presence throughout Asia with the most capable and efficient aircraft in the US carrier fleet.
@Tim – United is fighting for Chicago right now, Delta gets just enough widebodies to replace its current crumbling fleet in 2029…. I always appreciate your strongly held but loosely informed insight.
Andy,
DL has well more than enough widebodies just on firm order to replace all of the widebodies it needs to retire in the next 10 years.
and they still have scores or Airbus and Boeing widebody options.
For someone that claims to be insightful, you are woefully ignorant of actual facts and data.
And, “crumbling fleet” is far more appropriate for UA’s fleet – they can’t get engines or parts to support their Pratt powered 777s.
and UA’s fleet of 767s isn’t any newer than DL’s.
UA needs to replace well over 100 widebodies in the next 5-7 years.
Unless UA finally adds the A350, they have no more international growth capacity than UA.
You and the UA fans have never been able to admit that DL runs a better business including being able to get the widebody orders DL needs without ordering widebodies in blocks of 100 years in advance as UA has done. But AA doesn’t do it either.
DL is growing to Asia – East, South and the Middle East – and will have far more capable and efficient aircraft to do it than UA