Qantas weighs order for 20 wide-body jets from Airbus, Boeing

Qantas was weighing a possible order for about 20 wide-body jets from Airbus or Boeing, a move that would deepen its long-haul fleet renewal at a time when aircraft makers are still working through supply-chain delays and delivery backlogs.

The Australian airline was considering additional Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s, including the main A350 variant, as part of broader fleet planning. Qantas said it was "in regular contact" with aircraft manufacturers and had no updates or orders to announce. Airbus and Boeing declined to comment.

The size and timing of the discussions matter because Qantas is built around long-haul flying. Its network links Australia with major cities across Asia, Europe and North America, and any new wide-body purchase would shape everything from fleet age and fuel burn to the economics of future international routes. For an airline that depends on ultra-long-haul flying more than most global peers, aircraft range, payload and delivery timing are not just technical details. They determine which markets can be served profitably and when.

Qantas already has 12 Boeing 787s and 24 Airbus A350-1000s on order, including 12 ultra-long-range A350-1000s for Project Sunrise, the carrier’s plan to launch nonstop flights from Australia’s east coast to London and New York. It also has options for more jets split evenly between Airbus and Boeing, giving the airline flexibility as it balances performance, cabin economics and the timing of deliveries.

That flexibility is increasingly valuable. Qantas is in the middle of a 200-aircraft fleet renewal program, and the company says the first of its new aircraft types arrived in 2023, with deliveries due to continue into the next decade. As more aircraft enter the fleet, Qantas expects to retire older Boeing 737s starting in late calendar 2026. The airline has also said its investment program is aimed at introducing advanced-technology aircraft to expand its network.

The current A350 schedule shows how tight the market remains. Airbus pushed the first custom Qantas A350-1000ULR delivery back to April 2027 from end-2026, citing supply-chain disruption, while Qantas has said the next four aircraft are expected to arrive on a compressed timeline that restores the schedule by November 2027.

The talks underline a broader shift in the aviation market. Airlines are still betting on long-haul demand, especially premium international travel, even as Boeing and Airbus struggle to turn orders into on-time deliveries. For Qantas, the eventual choice between the 787 and the A350 will also signal which manufacturer can offer the stronger mix of performance, support and delivery certainty in the next phase of post-pandemic network rebuilding.