Qantas to Begin Retiring Airbus A380 Fleet from 2028
Qantas has decided to retire its remaining Airbus A380 aircraft around four years earlier than previously planned. The Australian carrier, which currently operates 10 A380s, will begin phasing out the aircraft in 2028, with the process expected to be completed by around 2030.
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said that as the out-of-production A380s continue to age, maintenance costs and the risk of operational disruptions are increasing. Rather than replacing the A380s directly with aircraft of similar capacity, the airline is shifting toward smaller and more fuel-efficient next-generation aircraft.
As part of this strategy, Qantas will introduce a refreshed Business Class product on new Boeing 787-9s scheduled for delivery from late 2027. The airline also plans to deploy 16 Airbus A321XLRs from 2028 in a long-range, premium-focused configuration. Under Project Sunrise, Qantas will also bring its Airbus A350-1000ULR fleet into service, while considering converting around 20 existing Airbus and Boeing options into additional A350 and 787 orders.
