Eurowings sets sights on the largest fleet modernization in its history

Germany

Germany's second-largest airline receives green light for 40 new Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft.

The go-ahead has been given for one of the largest fleet modernizations in European aviation: Lufthansa Group has decided to allocate 40 brand-new Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft that have been ordered to Eurowings. The gradual integration of new short and medium-haul jets will pave the way for Eurowings to operate one of the youngest fleets in European air traffic in the future.

The approval does not just provide Lufthansa Group's value airline with state-of-the-art jets and engines that have particularly low fuel consumption and noise emissions thanks to their efficiency: Eurowings is also making significant progress towards more sustainable flying, as the latest generation of jets consumes up to 30 percent less kerosene and emits correspondingly less CO2. The order for 40 brand-new 737 aircraft is equivalent to an investment of around five billion dollars at list price. This makes it by far the largest and most expensive sustainability project in the more than 30-year history of Eurowings.

Modern travel experience, more range, more seats

The Cologne-based airline has grown dynamically since the end of the pandemic and has established a strong position among the most popular airlines in Europe in what is known as “point-to-point traffic”. The British rating agency Skytrax named the company a four-star airline last year. Eurowings is now Germany's largest leisure airline and is the market leader at airports such as Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Cologne/Bonn.

Delivery of the first Boeing 737-8 MAX to Eurowings is scheduled to begin in 2027 and will be completed with a total of 40 jets by 2032. The new aircraft will gradually replace the Airbus A319 fleet as well as older Airbus A320 models. With its capacity for 189 passengers, the Boeing 737-8 MAX offers 39 additional seats compared to the A319. Its significantly longer range also makes it the perfect choice for longer medium-haul destinations, which Eurowings is increasingly offering in its portfolio. Eurowings guests can look forward to a redesigned cabin with more comfort on board and a travel experience that meets the latest airline standards.

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of the Lufthansa Group:

“Eurowings has established itself as the European point-to-point airline of the Lufthansa Group with a convincing strategy and thanks to its outstanding employees in an extremely competitive market. The company’s strategic focus on expanding its tourism business and its consistent expansion in Europe is paying off for the entire Lufthansa Group. Our decision today is a well-deserved and strong signal for a successful future of Eurowings.”

Jens Bischof, CEO Eurowings:

“Economic success makes Eurowings attractive for investment. At the same time, we have a responsibility to reconcile economic and ecological topics. With 40 state-of-the-art aircraft, we are laying the foundations for a successful Eurowings future that is geared towards ambitious sustainability goals. The largest investment in our company's history shows that we are making rapid progress towards low-emission flying – through significantly lower fuel consumption, lower emissions and significantly less noise. The high cost efficiency of the new jets also enables us to continue to offer Eurowings customers fair and attractive fares. Without such a technological leap, an airline will hardly be able to operate successfully on the market in the 2030s.”