Australian airline Qantas will begin withdrawing its fleet of ten Airbus A380 super-jumbos from service in 2028, four years earlier than originally planned.
The carrier announced the decision on August 27, 2026, during the presentation of its annual financial results in Sydney, accelerating a retirement schedule that was previously set for 2032.
The early phase-out is driven by the upcoming delivery of a new fleet of long-haul passenger jets. Qantas is scheduled to receive the first deliveries of 36 long-range aircraft that were ordered across 2022 and 2023.
Vanessa Hudson, the chief executive of Qantas, stated that the scheduled arrival in April of the airline's first Airbus A350-1000ULR under Project Sunrise, along with additional A350s and Boeing 787s on order, would open a new era for its international fleet. She added that the incoming aircraft would enable the airline to begin withdrawing the A380 fleet from 2028.
The double-deck A380 aircraft currently operated by Qantas carry 485 seats. The company indicated that the large super-jumbos have proven difficult to fill, while remaining expensive in terms of both fuel consumption and ongoing maintenance costs.
By contrast, the new generation of incoming airliners offers greater flight range. Qantas expects the replacement aircraft to cover all existing routes across its international network while creating opportunities to open new long-haul destinations.
Project Sunrise and fleet renewal
The first Airbus A350-1000ULR, designed for ultra-long-range flights, is configured to carry 238 passengers. The aircraft is scheduled to enter commercial service on the route between Sydney and London in October 2027, one year after its initial delivery timeline. Qantas has ordered twelve of the ultra-long-range variant in total.
To achieve extended reach, the A350-1000ULR features an additional central fuel tank with a capacity of 20,900 litres, giving the twin-engine jet a maximum range of 18,000 kilometres. The aircraft model previously completed a historic non-stop test flight conducted by Airbus between Melbourne and Toulouse, covering more than 23,000 kilometres over more than 24 hours in the air.
In addition to the ultra-long-range variant, Qantas is awaiting delivery of twelve standard Airbus A350-1000 jets and twelve Boeing 787 aircraft. Initial deliveries for those orders are expected during the 2028 fiscal year, between mid-2027 and mid-2028.
Qantas, founded in 1920, is the flag carrier of Australia and operates extensive international routes connecting Australia with Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The airline's Project Sunrise initiative aims to establish direct, non-stop commercial flights linking Australia's east coast directly to major global destinations without layovers.
Global status of the Airbus A380
European manufacturer Airbus permanently halted production of the double-deck A380 at the end of 2021. While individual airlines are gradually retiring the model, its overall departure from commercial aviation remains years away.
Eleven airlines worldwide continue to fly the Airbus A380 super-jumbo. The operators comprise Emirates, Asiana Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Korean Air, British Airways, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad, and Global Airlines.
Emirates remains by far the largest operator of the A380, maintaining a fleet of approximately 100 aircraft. The Dubai-based airline plans to keep its super-jumbos operational until 2040, ensuring the world's largest passenger airliner will remain in active service for years to come.
