Lufthansa adds first A350-1000 to its fleet

The Lufthansa Group has received its 700th Airbus aircraft, a newly built A350-1000, marking 50 years of partnership between the two companies. The handover took place in the presence of Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr and Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner. Registered as D-AIFA and named ‘Deutschland’, the aircraft is the seventh in Lufthansa’s fleet to feature the special livery commemorating the airline’s 100th anniversary.

The Lufthansa Group has ordered 15 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, with deliveries scheduled through 2030. The first ten aircraft will be operated by the Lufthansa core brand and based at its Munich hub.

The introduction of the A350-1000 is part of the largest fleet modernisation programme in the Lufthansa Group’s history and is expected to support its sustainability goals. The aircraft will be transferred to Munich on 11 November 2026 for preparations ahead of its planned inaugural flight to Tokyo Haneda on 3 December 2026.

“With our first A350-1000, Lufthansa is taking delivery of the world’s most modern long-haul aircraft. Our guests can look forward to the new Allegris premium cabin in all travel classes. The A350-1000 will become our new flagship at our five-star hub in Munich. It uses up to 30 percent less fuel per passenger, while at the same time offering significantly lower unit costs. The fact that, as the world’s largest Airbus customer, we are taking delivery of our 700th Airbus aircraft exactly 50 years after the first Airbus delivery to Lufthansa, and in the year of our 100th anniversary, makes this a very special moment for us. Our partnership is a prime example of what Europe can achieve when it works together. The success of Airbus as a European aircraft manufacturer and of the Lufthansa Group as Europe’s leading airline group is therefore far more than an economic success story. It is part of Europe’s sovereignty. Both companies demonstrate that our continent can continue to play a leading role in shaping the future of global aviation,” said Carsten Spohr, CEO of the Lufthansa Group.

At 73.8 metres long, the Airbus A350-1000 is seven metres longer than the A350-900 and can accommodate 300 passengers across four travel classes. These include three to four First Class seats, comprising two individual suites and one ‘Suite Plus’, 49 Business Class seats, including eight suite seats, 35 Premium Economy seats and 212 Economy Class seats.

From its inaugural flight on 3 December, ‘Deutschland’ will become the first Lufthansa Group long-haul aircraft to feature the new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi service powered by Starlink. Passengers will have access to high-speed internet connectivity, with speeds in many cases exceeding those available at home or in the office. The service will support video streaming, cloud-based work and other data-intensive applications during flights. It will be available free of charge to Miles & More members and Travel ID users across all travel classes.

Lufthansa Group and Airbus have maintained a close partnership for 50 years. During this time, the airline group has operated aircraft from every Airbus family and has acted as a launch customer for several models. The two companies also collaborate on new aircraft development and research projects.