Delta Air Lines‘ Leading Widebody Aircraft in 2025
Delta Air Lines ranks as the second-largest airline in the United States by fleet size, operating a total of 1,010 aircraft, following United Airlines. American Airlines closely follows Delta with a fleet of 1,001 aircraft, based on data from ch-aviation.
Delta’s Fleet Composition
The bulk of Delta’s fleet consists of narrowbody aircraft. However, it also operates 178 widebody planes, with the Airbus A330 series being the most numerous. Delta’s fleet includes 80 Airbus A330 aircraft, distributed among three different variants.
Airbus A330: The Backbone of Delta’s Widebody Fleet
The operations of the Airbus A330 at Delta can be traced back to Northwest Airlines. Before Northwest merged with Delta, it acquired the A330 to expand its transatlantic and transpacific services, replacing its older Boeing 747s and McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 aircraft. The A330-300 quickly became Northwest’s international flagship. By 2007, Northwest stood as the largest A330 operator worldwide with 32 units.
Post-merger, the Airbus A330 remained central to Delta’s widebody fleet. Presently, Delta operates 38 Airbus A330-900s, 31 A330-300s, and 11 A330-200s. The average ages of these aircraft are three years for the A330-900s, 16.7 years for the A330-300s, and 20.5 years for the A330-200s. Delta’s 2013 order of 40 A330-300s was a strategic move to revitalize its fleet and boost profitability while managing capacity effectively.
Delta’s Airbus A330 Variants
| Aircraft Variant | Number of Units | Max Range | Delta’s Cabin Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A330neo | 38 | 7,350 nautical miles (13,612 km) | 281 |
| Airbus A330-300 | 31 | 6,350 nautical miles (11,760 km) | 282 |
| Airbus A330-200 | 11 | 7,250 nautical miles (13,427 km) | 223 |
- The A330neo is configured with 281 seats: 29 in business, 28 in premium economy, 56 in economy comfort, and 168 in economy class.
- The A330-300 seats 282 passengers: 34 in business, 21 in premium economy, 24 in economy comfort, and 203 in economy class.
- The A330-200 carries 223 passengers: 34 in business, 21 in premium economy, 24 in economy comfort, and 144 in economy class.
Additional Widebody Aircraft in Delta’s Fleet
Besides the Airbus A330 series, Delta also operates Boeing 767s and Airbus A350 widebody aircraft. Delta owns 60 Boeing 767s, consisting of 39 767-300ERs and 21 767-400ERs, with respective average ages of 29 and 26.4 years. Due to this aging process, Delta plans to phase out these models by 2030.
Delta’s fleet also includes 38 Airbus A350-900s, averaging 5.2 years in age, with six more on order. The A350s accommodate up to 306 passengers and have a cabin layout of 36 business class seats, 48 premium economy seats, 36 in Economy Comfort, and 190 in economy class.
