Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) commenced operations in October 1951, growing from a small, domestic operation using a Martin 2-0-2 aircraft to a major international carrier with a fleet of 145 aircraft as of March 2024. Today, Japan Airlines operates a fleet of 145 aircraft with an average age of 11.6 years.
Let’s take a look at the JAL fleet and identify the newest and oldest aircraft in active service.
Aircraft type Number in fleet
Airbus A350-900 15
Airbus A350-1000 2
Boeing 737-800 42
Boeing 767-300 27
Boeing 777-200 1
Boeing 777-300ER 13
Boeing 787-8 23
Boeing 787-9 22
*Note – this table reflects the hull loss of JA13XJ in January 2024.
Widebodies
JAL’s newest widebody aircraft
The newest widebody jet in the JAL fleet is JA02WJ, an Airbus A350-1000 built in November 2023 and delivered to JAL in Tokyo on January 13, 2024. The jet is Japan Airlines’ second A350-1000. Since entering service, this aircraft has been used on the airline’s flagship Tokyo (HND) to New York (JFK) route.
JAL’s oldest widebody aircraft
The oldest widebody aircraft in the Japan Airlines fleet is JA601J, a 21-year-old Boeing 767-346(ER) registered in April 2002. Based primarily at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), this classic jet regularly operates domestic flights to destinations including Hiroshima (HIJ), Kagoshima (KOJ) and Komatsu (KMQ).
Narrowbodies
JAL’s newest narrowbody aircraft
The newest narrowbody aircraft in the JAL fleet is JA349J, an 11-year-old Boeing 737-800 built in August 2012. This aircraft operates up to 5 daily flights from its base at Tokyo (HND) and airports including Sapporo (CTS), Nagoya (NGO), and Osaka (ITM).
Japan Airlines’ oldest narrowbody aircraft
The oldest active narrowbody in the JAL fleet is JA301J, a 17-year-old Boeing 737-846 registered in October 2006. One of 42 Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft in the fleet. Also based in Tokyo (HND), the aircraft flies up to 6 times per-day to destinations including Kumamoto (KMJ), Oita (OIT) and Nankoku (KCZ).
Have you flown on any of these aircraft? Let us know in the comments.
Cover photo: AIRSI, 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-300x148.jpg)
