Japan Airlines places orders with Airbus and Boeing

On 21 March 2024, Japan Airlines announced that its board has approved orders for a total of 42 new aircraft, both narrowbodies and widebodies. With Boeing, the airline is set to order ten additional B787-9s, and with Airbus eleven A321neos and 21 additional A350-900s.

The ten B787-9s and 20 of the 21 A350-900s will be used on the airline's international network, replacing older widebodies. This also means, JAL will start using the A350-900 internationally. Today, it uses its A350-900s on domestic routes. The final single ordered A350-900 will be used on domestic routes, replacing the aircraft that was lost at Tokyo-Haneda on 2 January 2024.

The Airbus A321neos will be used to replace the B737-800s, together with 21 B737-8s that were ordered in March 2023.

Japan Airlines' current fleet is made-up of fifteen A350-900s, two A350-1000s, 42 B737-800s, 25 B767-300ERs, two B767-300ERBCFs, thirteen B777-300ERs, 23 B787-8s, and 22 B787-9s.

Illustration by Airbus.