Recently, there’s been a wave of large-scale aircraft purchases, with airlines snapping up high volumes of planes. Notably, Indian airlines Indigo and Air India have recently made a combined acquisition of nearly 1,000 new planes from aviation giants Airbus and Boeing. But these are just a couple of examples. Let’s explore some of the world’s largest commercial jet orders based on the quantity of aircraft involved.
IndiGo: 500 Jets in 2023
Setting a record in aviation history, IndiGo declared its intention to acquire 500 single-aisle aircraft from Airbus in 2023. This staggering order makes it the largest for any airplane. The acquisition is anticipated to incorporate the sought-after A320neo series, featuring the extended range A321XLRs. These models are expected to facilitate the airline’s expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia. Delivery of these state-of-the-art jets will commence from 2030 and extend to 2035.
Air India: 470 Jets in 2023
In 2023, Air India finalized an order for a whopping 470 jetliners. The order included 250 airplanes from Airbus and an additional 220 from Boeing, with an option to purchase 70 more from the latter. This acquisition made up of 400 narrowbody and 70 widebody aircrafts was significant for the Tata-owned airline. The first few widebody Airbus A350 jets are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
American Airlines: 460 Jets in 2011
In 2011, American Airlines placed an order for a total of 460 airliners from Airbus and Boeing. The order involved 260 Airbus A320 aircraft initially, with the potential to buy an additional 365, which could sum up to a total of 625 aircraft. Concurrently, an order was placed for 200 of Boeing’s 737-family of aircraft, coupled with an option to buy another 100.
Indigo Partners: 430 Jets in 2017
In 2017, the US private equity firm Indigo Partners demonstrated its strategic prowess in the airline industry by placing an order for 430 Airbus A320neo jets. These planes were distributed amongst four carriers in which Bill Franke’s investment firm has a stake – Frontier Airlines in the U.S., Mexico’s Volaris, Chile’s JetSmart, and Wizz from Hungary.
The IndiGo and Indigo Partners Saga Continues
IndiGo kept up with its remarkable acquisition pace, ordering 300 of Airbus’s A320neo family of planes in 2019. Two years later, in 2021, Indigo Partners placed an order for 255 Airbus A321neo jets. This major fleet purchase, the first since COVID-19, reflected a bold bet on the swift recovery of tourist travel post-pandemic. Prior to these, in 2015, IndiGo, as India’s biggest airline, had finalized an order for 250 Airbus A320neo aircraft.
United Airlines: 200 Jets in 2022
In December 2022, United Airlines signaled its ambitious growth plans post-pandemic, announcing an order for 200 jets. This included 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 100 737 MAXs, replacing older, less-efficient aircraft in its fleet.
The magnitude of these orders reveals the growth potential and long-term aspirations of these airlines. As we marvel at these record-breaking purchases, we also acknowledge the significant economic implications they have on the global aviation industry. Let’s watch and wait to see which airline will set the next milestone in this intriguing jet buying saga.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
