Lufthansa Returns to Boeing 737 After Decade-Long Absence

Lufthansa Group has made a significant decision to return to the Boeing 737 after a decade-long absence. The company's Supervisory Board approved the exercise of options for 20 Boeing 737 MAX 10s from its December 2023 agreement, which included 40 firm 737-8 MAX aircraft and 60 purchase options.

The new order has a catalogue value of approximately $3.4 billion and will see deliveries begin in the early 2030s to modernize short- and medium-haul fleets and gradually replace older Airbus A320-family aircraft.

Lufthansa's decision marks a return to its roots, as it was the launch customer for the Boeing 737 in February 1968. The company operated successive generations of the 737 before retiring its final aircraft in 2016 and moving to an all-Airbus single-aisle fleet.

However, Airbus remains deeply embedded in Lufthansa's short-haul fleet, with A319, A320, and A321 variants. The company is also continuing to order aircraft from both manufacturers, including a recent split widebody order worth $7.7 billion at list price.