Delta has become the first U.S. airline to order the largest variant of the Airbus A350.
The carrier announced Friday that it has ordered 20 Airbus A350-1000s with options for 20 more. Deliveries of the twin-aisle widebody jet are slated to begin in 2026.
"These planes complement our fleet strategy and will offer a world-class customer experience for international travelers," CEO Ed Bastian said during an earnings call.
The aircraft will join the 28 A350-900s that Delta currently flies, as well as 16 more that it has on order. Delta currently flies the A350 all over the globe, including to Amsterdam, Asia destinations, Sydney, and Africa cities Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos. Delta also flies the A350 on domestic routes, mostly between hubs.
Delta has configured its A350-900s with 306 seats or 339 seats, according to Aerolopa. The A350-1000 is built to accommodate between 350 and 410 passengers, according to Airbus.
Delta said it will configure the planes with three cabins, offering Delta One business-class suites, a premium economy cabin and a combination of Comfort Plus and standard economy seats in the main cabin.
The planes will have 15% more premium seats than the widebodies that Delta plans to retire in the coming years, the carrier said.
Delta's profit more than tripled in 2023
Delta timed its announcement of the aircraft order to coincide with its Q4 and full-year 2023 financial results.
For the year, Delta recorded net income of $4.6 billion, up from $1.3 billion in 2022. The airline brought in $58 billion in operating revenue in 2023, up 15% from 2022. Delta's operating margin for the year was 9.5%.
For the fourth quarter, Delta recorded net income of $2 billion, up from $828 million last year. The airline reported operating revenue of $14.2 billion in the fourth quarter, up 6% year-over-year and $420 million more than analyst expectations, according to the investment website Seeking Alpha. Delta's operating margin for the fourth quarter was 9.3%.
The carrier expects its total revenue to be up between 3% and 6% year-over-year in Q1, which ends on March 31, with capacity up approximately 6%.
For 2024, Delta expects to grow its capacity by 5%.