The Qantas Group announced the final piece of its jet fleet renewal program with a firm order for 24 aircraft to progressively replace its existing A330s.

The multi-billion-dollar order is split between 12 Airbus A350s and 12 Boeing 787s arriving beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2027 and continuing into the next decade. The company has also negotiated additional purchase right options, split evenly between both manufacturers, to give flexibility for future growth and ultimately replace its 10 A380s with A350s from FY32 onwards.

Qantas’ A330 aircraft mostly operate on international flights to Asia and the US as well as some domestic flights. The longer range delivered by the 787 and A350 aircraft on order means they will be able to operate all the routes on the airline’s current international network, as well as open up new ones.

The average age of Qantas’ A330 fleet will be 21 years at the time the replacement program starts in FY27, which is in line with the carrier’s typical replacement profile. Aircraft scheduled to leave the Qantas fleet toward the end of the replacement program will undergo a cabin refurbishment beginning FY25, including next-generation seats in the Economy cabin.

As part of the deal with both Airbus and Boeing, Qantas will secure access to up to 500 million liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) per year that would start to arrive in 2028.

This has the potential to meet up to 90% of the group’s interim SAF target for 2030.

Access to these supplies will be enabled by partnering with Boeing and Airbus on SAF projects, including in the US. Qantas expects to purchase the SAF at favorable prices, due to supportive government policies in the US.

Alan Joyce, CEO, said these are “generational decisions” for this company, noting that the aircraft will arrive over a decade or more, and they’ll be part of the fleet for 20 years. “They’ll unlock new routes and better travel experiences for customers, and new jobs and promotions for our people,” he said.