Lufthansa expands centennial special livery across 6 aircraft types including Airbus A380 and Boeing 747
November 25, 2025
Lufthansa is extending its new 100th-anniversary livery across six of its flagship aircraft types, creating a full “anniversary fleet” that will enter service throughout 2026. We look at how the Lufthansa centenary fleet compares with other major airlines that have commemorated their 100-year milestones with high-profile special liveries.
The Lufthansa centenary livery debuts on Boeing 787-9
Lufthansa first unveiled plans for its centenary livery painted on a Boeing 787-9 named Berlin. The Boeing 787-9, registration D-ABPU, received its special livery in Charleston, USA. The aircraft, equipped with Lufthansa’s new Allegris cabins, will be delivered in December and will enter service in January.
The special livery features a blue fuselage with a white crane hovering above, its wings merging with the aircraft’s so that the iconic crane takes flight. The airline stated the design “combines movement and elegance, tradition and the future.” Designer and architect Otto Firle created the airline’s trademark crane in 1918, and it has become Lufthansa’s signature worldwide.
“Our Lufthansa crane stands for safety, pioneering spirit, premium quality, but also for freedom and reliability,” said Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines. “This has been the case for the past 100 years and will continue to be so in the future. We are proud of our tradition and our values, and we look forward to continuing our great history. The special livery of the Boeing 787 honors our identity and also stands for a proud team of Lufthansa employees who give everything every day for the safety and well-being of our guests.”
Besides the crane, the livery includes the number “100” painted on the left side of the fuselage and the lettering “1926 / 2026” on the right side.
The airline also applied a “100” logo to the underside of the aircraft so it is visible from the ground as the aeroplane takes off and lands.
Lufthansa’s anniversary fleet: a unified hundred-year look
This week, Lufthansa confirmed that its centenary design will extend to its sub-fleet. One aircraft in each of the airline’s five additional aircraft models will be painted with the special livery: the Airbus A380, A350-900, A350-1000, A320, and the Boeing 747-8.
Each aircraft will feature the same deep-blue fuselage, a stylised white crane whose wings blend into the aircraft’s wingline, a large “100” on the left side of the fuselage, “1926 / 2026” on the right side, and a bold “100” marking on the underside.
The remainder of the centenary fleet will be completed by autumn 2026, ensuring that the special design appears across both long-haul flagships and the airline’s core European network.
The decision to spread the livery across six different aircraft families reflects Lufthansa’s global reach and positions the design as a key visual element of the airline’s centennial celebrations throughout the year.
Other airlines that have marked their centenials with special liveries
Other airlines have celebrated a century of operations with a dedicated aircraft livery. Several of the world’s oldest airlines have used aircraft as flying ambassadors for their extended brand heritage.
KLM – “KLM 100” (2019)
KLM became the first airline still operating under its original name to reach 100 years in 2019. The carrier marked the occasion with a bold “KLM 100” roundel on aircraft, including the Boeing 787-10 and 777-300ER.
The airline’s centenary mark also appeared in digital branding, in-flight products, and at centennial events in Amsterdam.
avianca — retro centennial liveries (2019, 2022)
The world’s second-oldest airline, avianca, marked its centennial with retro liveries that debuted separately in 2019 and 2022.
An avianca Airbus A320 registered as N284AV marked the airline’s first 100 years with a livery reflecting the airline’s branding in the 1950s. The retro livery aircraft proved so popular that, in 2022, the airline followed up on the centennial retro trend with liveries honoring two of its founding airlines.
An Airbus A320, registration N564AV, combined the airline’s modern livery with a retro tail reflecting TACA’s (Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano S.A.) former livery.
Another Airbus A320, registration N821AV, sported a LACSA (Líneas Aéreas Costarricenses Sociedad Anónima) retro tail.
British Airways – BA100 Heritage Liveries (2019)
British Airways chose a heritage-themed approach for its 100-year celebration, unveiling four retro liveries that represented its lineage.
Three Boeing 747-400s were painted in BOAC, Landor, and Negus designs, while an Airbus A319 wore BEA colours.
Qantas – “Qantas 100” (2020)
Qantas celebrated its centenary in 2020 with a custom livery on its Boeing 787-9 VH-ZNJ. The design incorporated a timeline of Qantas’ historical logos along the forward fuselage and a red tail featuring a stylised “100” integrated into the kangaroo emblem.
The aircraft became central to Qantas’ global anniversary marketing campaign.
Finnair – “Finnair 100” Moomin A350s (2023)
Finnair celebrated 100 years in 2023 with two Airbus A350s painted in a distinctive centenary livery featuring beloved Finnish characters Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden, merging national cultural icons with the airline’s Nordic branding.
The design included the anniversary message “Bringing us together since 1923.”
Delta Air Lines – “A century of flight” (2025)
For Delta’s centennial in 2025, it chose a unified branding approach rather than a retro look.
The airline’s “a century of flight” visual identity featured prominent “100” markings on two aircraft: an Airbus A321neo with registration N589DT and an Airbus A350-900 with registration N527DN.
American Airlines – Centennial “Flagship” livery (2026)
Ahead of its own 100th anniversary next year, American Airlines introduced a centennial “Flagship” livery, which will feature on its Boeing 777-300ER.
American’s retro centennial look blends 1930s motifs, referencing the airline’s early Flagship fleet, with heritage scripts and metal accents.
A century of flight, celebrated in the fleet
Airline liveries are essential strategic brand tools as airlines reach the milestone of their 100th year of continuous operation, promoting global visibility, increasing social-media engagement, and reaffirming their legacy.
Lufthansa’s decision to create an entire anniversary fleet rather than a single aircraft makes its centenary livery collection one of the most extensive in recent years. When its six aircraft types enter service in 2026, they will join a lineage of iconic designs used by the world’s oldest airlines as they fly into their next century.
