SAS orders 18 Airbus A330-900s in historic fleet overhaul

SAS placed a firm order for 18 Airbus A330-900s in Copenhagen, locking in widebody capacity as it called the deal the biggest investment in its history. The agreement was signed on June 30 by Anko van der Werff, SAS’s president and chief executive, and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus’s executive vice president for commercial aircraft sales.

The broader fleet plan could reach up to 40 Airbus widebody aircraft, giving the Scandinavian carrier room to deepen existing long-haul routes and open new ones. SAS has said the expansion is meant to strengthen Scandinavia’s global connectivity and competitiveness, a clear sign that the airline is betting it can grow beyond the regional rebuild that followed its restructuring.

The A330-900 is central to that bet because it combines longer range with lower operating costs. Airbus says the aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, is certified to fly with up to a 50% sustainable aviation fuel blend, and is aimed at 100% SAF capability by 2030. SAS says its newer aircraft typically deliver 15% to 30% lower fuel consumption than the jets they replace, a margin that matters on long-haul routes where fuel remains one of the largest expenses.

Airbus lists the A330-900’s range at up to 7,350 nautical miles, enough to support SAS’s transatlantic network from Copenhagen and to give the airline more flexibility on far-flung markets. That matters for fares as well as schedules: added capacity can put pressure on ticket prices on competitive routes, especially if SAS uses the aircraft to increase frequency on key North Atlantic services rather than simply upgauge a handful of flights. The wider the network, the harder it becomes for rivals to defend premium pricing without matching capacity.

The order also follows a sharp turnaround in SAS’s financial and ownership story. In July 2025, Air France-KLM said it would initiate proceedings to take a majority stake in the carrier. That same month, SAS placed a record order for 45 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft with purchase rights for 10 more, its largest direct jet order since 1996. SAS’s fiscal 2025 annual report showed passenger numbers rising 12% to 28.3 million, revenue up 7% to MSEK 49,106 and EBIT at MSEK 3,030, leaving the airline with enough momentum to keep rebuilding its long-haul footprint.