Delta Details Retirement Plan for Boeing 767 Fleet

Delta is looking to retire its fleet of 767-300ER aircraft by 2030, the airline’s President Glen Hauenstein said in a Q4 2023 earnings call. According to data from AirFleets.net, the Atlanta-based airline currently has 45 767-300ERs in service along with 21 767-400s.

Last week, Delta placed an order for up to 40 new Airbus aircraft, including the A350-1000. The airline already has approximately 28 A350-900s in service.

While the larger A350-1000s won’t directly replace the 767s, the airline expects to use the new aircraft as part of an overall fleet modernization effort. The average age of a Delta 767-series aircraft is 26 years old, per AirFleets.net data.

Removal From Long-Haul

As part of the phase-out plan, Delta intends to remove the 767-300ERs from international long-haul service first. “It was our intent to have them out of international long haul by 2028 and retired by 2030,” Hauenstein said during the earnings call.

According to Cirium Diio data, the airline has 2,355 flights scheduled on its 767-300 fleet in June 2024. Delta uses the type on a variety of long-haul routes and domestic flights.

The 767-400’s Future

Delta’s fleet of the larger 767-400 variant is expected to continue operating into the 2030s. There are only 38 active 767-400ERs worldwide, according to data from ch-aviation.

A Delta 767-400 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

“As we move through 2025…through the back half of the decade, we expect to retire the 767-300s through that period of time on a pretty consistent basis as you step through while continuing to fly the -400s,” Delta’s Chief Financial Officer Dan Janki added during the earnings call.

Similar to its -300 counterpart, the 767-400 operates a wide array of routes within Delta’s network, including long-haul and domestic. The type is slated to operate 1,080 Delta flights in June 2024.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

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