(Posted 14th July 2023)
Under its current agreement, Delta Air Lines has disclosed an order for 12 additional A220-300 aircraft, bringing the airline’s total firm order for A220s to 131 aircraft – 45 A220-100s and 86 A220-300. Throughout the years, Delta has reordered the A220 five times and is today the largest A220 customer and operator in the world.
“The A220-300 offers efficient performance and flexibility,” said Kristen Bojko, Vice President of Fleet. “The continuing expansion of Delta’s A220 family is an integral investment in the future of sustainable aviation.”
“This additional order from the largest A220 customer and operator is yet another strong endorsement for the value and opportunities offered by this latest generation aircraft family. The A220 provides Delta the flexibility to right-size its operations, gaining in efficiency and offering superior single-aisle comfort. In service with Delta, the A220 has proven to be a game changer in its size category in highly competitive North America markets,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International.
In addition to its positive cabin experience, the aircraft plays an important role in helping decrease airline operating costs and environmental impact. Offering 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, the A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market. Combining state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF™ engines, the A220 brings customers a 50% reduced noise footprint and around 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards.
Delta took delivery of its first Airbus A220 in October 2018, and was the first U.S. carrier to operate the aircraft type. Delta currently operates a fleet of 433 Airbus aircraft, including 61 A220 aircraft, 280 A320 Family aircraft, 64 A330s and 28 A350-900 aircraft.
With 271 A220s delivered* to 16 airlines operating on four continents, the A220 is the optimal aircraft to offer operational flexibility for both regional as well as long-distance routes. To date, more than 90 million passengers have flown on the A220. The fleet is currently flying on over 1,100 routes and over 375 destinations worldwide. As of the end of June 2023, around 30 customers have ordered more than 800 A220 aircraft – confirming its leading position in the small single-aisle market.
*At the end of June 2023