Delta Orders 31 More Airbus Widebodies: A Mix Of A350s & A330neos

On Wednesday, January 28th, roughly two weeks after placing an order with Boeing for 378710s, Delta Air Lines placed a firm order for 31 Airbus widebodies. More specifically, the SkyTeam Alliance member is seeking an additional 16 A330-900s and 15 A350-900s. Let's examine this Airbus order for today's video. We are more than a bit late reporting this news, but there have been so many other big topics to cover that this fell lower on the list. Nonetheless, adding 16 A330-900s and 15 A350-900s to its order book, Delta's widebody fleet will eventually grow to 55 A330neo and 79 A350s. For Delta's A350 fleet, the 79 will include 20 A350-1000s that are expected from early 2027. It's the order that was more expected than the airline's recent Boeing 787 announcement, considering Delta's most modern widebodies are all from Airbus. Ed Bastian, the airline's chief executive officer, had this to say in the company's press release. As we grow our international footprint and prepare our fleet to serve expanded long-haul markets, these aircraft will enhance our capabilities and elevate our premium offerings. We value our longstanding partnership with Airbus, and with these widebody aircraft we will see additional operational efficiencies and long-term cost benefits in the years to come. Again, this latest order follows a deal with Boeing for 30 787-10 Dreamliners. In the context of tariffs imposed on imports from various countries by the current US administration, a Boeing order made more sense despite adding more supply chain and training complexity to Delta's operations. But clearly, Delta and its leadership are confident that ongoing transatlantic trade tensions with America's European allies won't be an issue. Either that, or the airline has come to terms with the fact that it may have to pay more for its European-assembled airframes. With the geopolitical situation constantly changing, it's simply perhaps too difficult to base long-term orders on shorter-term politics. Delta says that its Airbus deal combines a new order with the conversion of 10 previously held options into firm purchases and also includes options for 20 additional widebody aircraft. As we were discussing in previous videos, it's more great news for the A330neo family, which saw a fantastic 2025 in terms of orders. The airframe isn't as advanced as the A350s, but it does come with more advanced engines and wings than the older A330 family, resulting in a 12% fuel burn reduction over the older generation. And of course, economy-class travelers appreciate the A330 family for its common 2-4-2 layout. So, what do you think of Delta's recent 31 widebody order with Airbus? Let us know by leaving a comment.