Japan Airlines orders 17 additional Boeing 737-8 aircraft

Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced plans to introduce 17 additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to its fleet, expanding on its previous order of 21 of the same aircraft type placed in March 2023. The new aircraft will primarily replace the existing Boeing 737-800 fleet currently serving domestic routes.

This latest acquisition is part of JAL’s comprehensive fleet renewal strategy, which includes approximately 90 new aircraft planned for introduction in the coming years.

In addition to the Boeing 737-8 aircraft for domestic operations, JAL will introduce 11 Airbus A321neo jets to replace Boeing 767 aircraft, primarily serving routes to and from Tokyo Haneda Airport. This fleet modernization aligns aircraft capacity with market demand to improve profitability across JAL’s network.

The carrier’s international expansion plans include 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft and 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with some 787-9s being reassigned to ZIPAIR, JAL’s low-cost subsidiary. These additions support JAL’s goal to expand its international business by approximately 1.5 times by 2030 compared to 2023.

JAL is particularly focused on increasing flight frequency on North American and Asian routes, which are projected to experience significant growth. The airline will also deploy larger aircraft on select routes to increase available seats while improving service quality and passenger convenience.

The JAL Group’s flexible fleet plan includes early aircraft orders to support anticipated growth beyond 2030. Through the accelerated introduction of state-of-the-art aircraft, the airline aims to enhance customer experience while reducing CO2 emissions as part of its sustainability commitments.

The confirmed aircraft orders include Boeing 737-8 (38 domestic aircraft for 2026), Airbus A321neo (11 domestic aircraft for 2028), Boeing 787-9 (10 international aircraft for 2028), Airbus A350-900 (20 international and 3 domestic aircraft with sequential introduction beginning 2027), and Airbus A350-1000 (5 international aircraft with sequential introduction).