Lufthansa’s first A350-1000 to debut on Munich–Tokyo route

International

Passenger services begin on 3 December, with Shanghai and Singapore to follow as Lufthansa expands its Allegris-equipped fleet

Lufthansa’s first Airbus A350-1000 will enter scheduled service between Munich and Tokyo Haneda on 3 December 2026. The aircraft is due to arrive from Airbus’s Toulouse facilities in mid-November, allowing time for final preparations before carrying passengers. Shanghai and Singapore will join its destination programme in the following weeks.

The new aircraft will feature Lufthansa’s Allegris cabin across four travel classes. On the three routes, services will alternate between the A350-1000 and the smaller A350-900, with Allegris available on both types. The introduction adds premium seating capacity at Munich as Lufthansa continues its fleet renewal programme.

Named “Deutschland” and registered D-AIFA, the first aircraft will carry a special livery marking Lufthansa’s centenary. Its delivery will also make it the 700th Airbus aircraft handed over to the Lufthansa Group and the seventh aircraft in the anniversary fleet. The group has ordered 15 A350-1000s for delivery by 2030, with the first ten assigned to Lufthansa and based at its Munich hub.

More room for premium cabins

At 73.8 metres, the A350-1000 is around seven metres longer than the A350-900. Lufthansa’s configuration provides approximately 300 seats, including 49 in Business Class, 35 in Premium Economy and 212 in Economy.

First Class comprises two individual suites and a Suite Plus, providing accommodation for three or four passengers depending on occupancy. Eight Business Class seats are located in suites.

“Our new flagship features 40 percent more Business and Premium Economy seats,” said Heiko Reitz, a member of the Lufthansa Airlines Board and Hub Manager Munich. “To put it simply: The A350-1000 strengthens our premium hub in Munich.”

For passengers and travel sellers, the alternating operation means the aircraft type should be checked for each departure. The shared Allegris product will be available across the announced services, while cabin capacity will vary between the two A350 variants.

Fleet renewal reaches another milestone

The A350-1000 is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. Its construction combines composite materials, titanium and modern aluminium alloys, with composites accounting for more than half of the aircraft’s structure.

According to Lufthansa, the combination of engines, aerodynamics and lightweight materials reduces fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by 25% compared with previous-generation aircraft. The airline also says the type is certified comfortably below the limits set by ICAO’s Chapter 14 noise standard.

The Munich introduction forms part of what Lufthansa describes as the largest fleet modernisation programme in the group’s history. Tokyo Haneda will provide the first scheduled deployment, followed by a broader Asian operation as Shanghai and Singapore are added.