Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) commenced operations on August 1, 1946. The airline was established through a consortium agreement between three national airlines: Denmark’s Det Danske Luftfartselskab (DDL), Norway’s Det Norske Luftfartselskap (DNL), and Sweden’s Svensk Interkontinental Lufttrafik AB (SILA). SAS’s inaugural flight was a transatlantic service from Stockholm via Copenhagen and Prestwick to New York, utilizing a Douglas DC-4. This route was significant as it established SAS’s presence in the competitive international market, laying the foundation for its future growth and expansion. Over time, SAS expanded its fleet and network, steadily building a comprehensive range of services that today spans Europe, Asia, and North America. The first SAS flight to be operated by a jet was in 1959, using the Caravelle SE-210, marking a significant milestone for the airline as it transitioned from propeller-driven aircraft to jets.
The introduction of the Caravelle allowed SAS to offer faster and more efficient services, enhancing its competitive position in the global aviation market. The inaugural jet flight connected Copenhagen with New York, symbolizing the airline’s growing international reach. Let’s take a look at the airline’s fleet today, and identify the newest and oldest active aircraft.
The Scandinavian Airlines fleet today
Today, the Scandinavian Airlines fleet comprises 131 active aircraft, a mix of widebody, narrowbody, regional jets and turboprops.
| Aircraft type | Number in fleet |
|---|---|
| A320neo | 73 |
| A321neo | 3 |
| A319 | 4 |
| A320 | 8 |
| A330-300 | 8 |
| A350-900 | 4 |
| ATR72-600 | 4 |
| 737-700 | 1 |
| CRJ900 | 16 |
| E195 | 10 |
Narrowbody jets account for 70% of the SAS fleet. Widebodies make up 10%, and regional jets account for 20%. The airline’s orders currently comprise 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft.
The newest SAS aircraft
The newest widebody jet in the SAS fleet is SE-RSF, an Airbus A350-900 built as MSN 499. This aircraft, based in Copenhagen (CPH), operates various long-haul routes. Recently, SE-RSF has flown to destinations including Tokyo (HND), Boston (BOS) and Shanghai (PVG). The A350 was first delivered to SAS in late 2019, with its entry to service delayed by the Covid 19 pandemic. The introduction of the A350 was heralded by the introduction of a new SAS livery, which most aircraft in the fleet now wear.
The newest narrowbody jet in the SAS fleet is SE-RZE, an Airbus A320neo built as MSN 12166. This aircraft, based in Oslo (OSL), operates various domestic and European routes, most recently to destinations such as Bergen (BGO), Brussels (BRU) and Stavanger (SVG).
The newest regional jet in the SAS fleet is EI-FPX, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900 built as MSN 15436. Based in Copenhagen (CPH), this aircraft operates flights to destinations including Birmingham (BHX), Vilnius (VNO) and Stavanger (SVG). SAS-liveried CRJ-900s are operated by CityJet.
The newest turboprop in the Scandinavian Airlines fleet is ES-ATD, a 9-year-old ATR 72-600 built in July 2014 as MSN 1165. One of 7 ATR aircraft operated for SAS by XFly, this aircraft frequently visits destinations including Aalborg (AAL), Aarhus (AAH) and Hamburg (HAM) from its base in Copenhagen (CPH).
The oldest SAS aircraft
SAS’ fleet has an average age of 9.4 years; 5.4 years below the global average aircraft age of 14.8 years.
The oldest widebody jet in the SAS fleet is LN-RKM, an Airbus A330-300 built as MSN 496. This aircraft, based between Stockholm (ARN), Oslo (OSL) and Copenhagen (CPH), most frequently serves North American destinations such as New York (EWR), Washington (IAD), and SAS’ newest destination, Atlanta (ATL).
The oldest narrowbody jet in the SAS fleet is OY-KAW, an Airbus A320-200 built as MSN 02817. This aircraft, based in Copenhagen (CPH), operates various European routes. Recently, the aircraft has flown to destinations including Milan (MXP), Amsterdam (AMS), and Dubrovnik (DBV).
The oldest regional jet in the SAS fleet is SE-RSI, a 17-year-old Embraer E195 built in 2007 as MSN 19000104. The aircraft typically operates up to 4 flights per day from its Copenhagen (CPH) base to destinations including Manchester (MAN), Bergen (BGO) and Gdansk (GDN).
What about SAS’ Boeing 737 fleet?
Scandinavian Airlines operated the shortest variant of the 737 NG family, the Boeing 737-700, for some time. The final -700 to leave the active fleet, LN-RRB, has seen a new life in a unique ‘Medevac’ configuration. Since leaving the passenger fleet, the aircraft has been used for many purposes, including evacuating military and civilian casualties from Ukraine for treatment in hospitals across Europe.
We were privileged to be on board SAS’ final 737 flight from Stockholm (ARN) to Oslo (OSL) in November 2023. A special affair laid on for enthusiasts, we were treatred to a low pass approach and some stunning views. Take a look at the video below.
The oldest turboprop in the Scandinavian Airlines fleet is ES-ATE, an ATR 72-600 built in November 2013. Also based in Stockholm (ARN), this aircraft makes around 4 return flights per-day to destinations including Aalborg (AAL), Hamburg (HAM) and Aarhus (AAH).
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Have you flown on any of these SAS aircraft? Let us know in the comments.
Cover photo: Kevin Cargo, JetPhotos.
![An example full flight summary response from the Flightradar24 API: { "data": [ { "fr24_id": "0987654321", "flight": "SK1415", "callsign": "SAS1415", "operated_as": "SAS", "painted_as": "SAS", "type": "A20N", "reg": "SE-DOY", "orig_icao": "ESSA", "orig_iata": "ARN", "datetime_takeoff": "2023-01-27T05:15:22", "runway_takeoff": "12R", "dest_icao": "EKCH", "dest_iata": "CPH", "dest_icao_actual": "EPWA", "dest_iata_actual": "WAW", "datetime_landed": "2023-01-27T06:15:10", "runway_landed": "27L", "flight_time": 3600, "actual_distance": 1007.74, "circle_distance": 6245, "category": "Passenger", "hex": "4A91F9", "first_seen": "2023-01-27T05:06:22", "last_seen": "2023-01-27T06:18:10", "flight_ended": "true" } ] }](https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Flight-summary-API-cover-768x378.jpg)
