Lufthansa Group has ordered 20 new long-haul aircraft, comprising an additional 10 Airbus A350-900s and 10 Boeing 787-9s for its existing fleets, at a combined list price of US$7.7 billion, with deliveries due between 2032 and 2034.

The aircraft will replace the airline group’s older, less fuel-efficient aircraft models from 2032 onwards, with the decision on which airline within the group and which hub each aircraft will serve to be confirmed at a later date. Lufthansa Group airlines comprise Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways.

Carsten Spohr, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said of the order, “By ordering 20 additional long-haul aircraft, we are making a sustainable investment in the future of the Lufthansa Group. It is a clear commitment to a modern fleet, to premium quality, and to further reducing CO2 emissions.”

The A350-900 and B787-9 are twin-engine wide-body jets that offer greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions than the models they will replace. Spohr added, “After all, aircraft featuring the latest technology are the most powerful tool for more climate-friendly air travel.”

The gradual standardisation of the fleet with newer aircraft is intended to reduce operational complexity and improve efficiency, operational flexibility, and stability. According to Lufthansa Group, the move will also lower maintenance and operating costs, and generate synergies in areas including cockpit and cabin crew licencing, and spare parts management.

Including this order, Lufthansa Group now has a total of 232 aircraft on order, of which 107 are next-generation long-haul models.

The two individual suites in Lufthansa’s Allegris first class have seats almost one-metre-wide
Lufthansa takes a majority stake in ITA Airways

In other news from Deutsche Lufthansa AG, the company has announced that it will exercise its option to acquire a majority stake in ITA Airways, the flag carrier of Italy, in June 2026. Deutsche Lufthansa will increase its stake in ITA Airways from 41% to 90%, at an agreed purchase price of 325 million Euros, with a full 100% stake possible.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, primarily from the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. Following this, ITA Airways will be fully integrated into the Lufthansa Group, both organisationally and financially.

ITA Airways may soon be fully integrated into the Lufthansa Group

Deutsche Lufthansa AG has been a minority shareholder in ITA Airways since 17 January 2025, with the 41% stake. Upon conclusion of a purchase agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) in June 2023, an annually recurring option for Deutsche Lufthansa AG to acquire an additional 49% percent stake in ITA Airways was agreed upon. This option is now being exercised along with the accompanying acquisition of a majority stake in the Italian airline. The seller is the MEF, which will initially continue to hold the remaining 10% of the shares in ITA Airways. In 2028, this 10% tranche may also be acquired by Lufthansa.

Carsten Spohr, CEO of the Lufthansa Group and chairman of the executive board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said of the purchase: “Following the acquisition of the first 41% stake in ITA Airways last year, we promised the fastest airline integration in our history. We aimed to complete all major integration steps into the Lufthansa Group within just 18 months.

We have not only kept this promise. We were even faster: All customer-facing interfaces are already integrated today – with the exception of North Atlantic flights, where, as is well known, regulatory approval for our merger is still pending.

“Passengers already experience ITA Airways as an integrated part of the Lufthansa Group. With unified booking, sales, and fare systems, the Miles and More frequent flyer program, Star Alliance membership, and access to our global network of premium lounges.

“Integration is also progressing in the cargo business. Since last year, Lufthansa Cargo has been marketing ITA Airways’ cargo capacity, which alone corresponds to the additional capacity of three Boeing 777 freighters. In light of this success story, we decided to exercise our option to acquire an additional 49% stake as early as June of this year.”