Lufthansa (LH/DLH), Germany’s largest airline and one of the most prominent in Europe, has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1953. Known officially as Deutsche Lufthansa AG, the airline rapidly grew to become a major player in global aviation, building on Germany’s storied aviation legacy which began with its predecessor, Deutsche Luft Hansa, established in 1926. Following World War II, Lufthansa was reestablished, and by 1955, it resumed flight operations, ushering in a new era of German air travel.
Today, the Lufthansa Group is a behemoth in European aviation. The group includes subsidiaries such as Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines which broaden its reach, and its MRO Lufthansa Technik provides technical support to airlines across the group. The Lufthansa airline itself stands as a key member of Star Alliance, boasting a comprehensive network that spans over 200 destinations in nearly 80 countries. The airline’s fleet is one of the most modern in the world, comprising a mix of narrowbody, widebody, and regional jets. Let’s take a closer look at the makeup of the Lufthansa fleet in June 2024.
The Lufthansa fleet today
The Lufthansa fleet currently comprises 323 aircraft, all of which are jets. Narrowbody jets account for 58.3% of the Lufthansa fleet. Widebodies make up 32.1% and regional jets account for 9.6%. The airline’s orders currently include Airbus A321neo, Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft, Boeing 777X aircraft and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
The newest Lufthansa aircraft
The newest widebody jet in the Lufthansa fleet is D-AIXR, an Airbus A350-900 built as MSN 590. This aircraft, based in Munich (MUC), operates various international routes to destinations including Los Angeles (LAX), Tokyo (HND), and Cape Town (CPT).
The newest narrowbody jet in the Lufthansa fleet is D-AIJN, an Airbus A320-271N built in October 2023. This aircraft, based in Munich (MUC), frequently operates European routes. Recent destinations include Berlin Brandenburg (BER), Rome (FCO), and Madrid Barajas (MAD).
The newest regional jet in the fleet is D-ACNR, a Bombardier CRJ 900LR built in January 2011. This aircraft has recently been deployed on routes to destinations including Munich (MUC), Hamburg (HAM), and Zurich (ZRH).
The oldest Lufthansa aircraft
Lufthansa’s fleet has an average age of 13.6 years; 1.2 years below the global average aircraft age of 14.8 years. This figure will reduce as more orders for new generation aircraft (those for the A321neo and A350-900) are fulfilled.
The oldest widebody jet in the Lufthansa fleet is D-AIGL, an Airbus A340-300 built in April 1996 as MSN 0135. Based in Frankfurt (FRA), the aircraft operates frequent long-haul flights to North American destinations including Atlanta (ATL), Washington (IAD), and Detroit (DTW).
Lufthansa is notably the only airline in Europe that still operates the Boeing 747-400 in passenger configuration. The oldest Boeing 747-400 in the Lufthansa fleet is D-ABVM, built in December 1993 as MSN 29101. This iconic aircraft, based in Frankfurt (FRA), serves various long-haul routes. Recently, D-ABVM has been seen flying to destinations such as New York (JFK), Hong Kong (HKG), and Johannesburg (JNB). Despite its age, the Boeing 747-400 continues to be a reliable and vital part of Lufthansa’s operations.
The oldest narrowbody jet in the Lufthansa fleet is D-AIRH, an Airbus A321-131 built in July 1993 as MSN 00412. This aircraft, based in Frankfurt (FRA), serves various European destinations. Recently, D-AIRH has flown to airports including London Heathrow (LHR), Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), and Madrid Barajas (MAD).
The oldest regional jet in the Lufthansa fleet is D-ACKJ, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR built in 2006 as MSN 15089. Based in Munich (MUC), this aircraft regularly serves airports including Vienna (VIE), Zurich (ZRH), and Brussels (BRU).
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Have you flown on any of these Lufthansa jets? Let us know in the comments.
Cover photo: Martin Tiedz, JetPhotos.
