Air Europa signs for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s at Dubai Airshow
November 18, 2025
Spanish airline Air Europa has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for up to 40 A350-900 aircraft. The agreement, signed on day two of the Dubai Airshow 2025, sees the airline return to Airbus after five years of being an exclusively Boeing operator.
The new Airbus A350 will form the backbone of Air Europa’s widebody long-haul fleet going forward as the carrier looks to expand following a major investment by Turkish Airlines in October.
Exact details of the order and any likely delivery timescales have not yet been disclosed, so these specifics may not have been finalised at the time of the announcement.
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Air Europa switches to Airbus for its long-haul planes
Air Europa has become a firm supporter of Boeing products in recent years, so this announcement has taken many by surprise.
The introduction of the A350-900 will accelerate the renewal of Air Europa’s existing long-haul fleet, which comprises 11 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners plus 18 of the larger 787-9s. The airline said the move towards the A350 will allow for “profitable growth” to key markets in Latin America.
This is attributed to the aircraft’s “unrivalled performance and economics. Passengers will also experience exceptional best-in-class comfort,” said an Air Europa statement.
“This order is a strategic milestone in Air Europa’s fleet development, accelerating its profitable growth by renewal of the current widebody fleet,” said Juan Jose Hidalgo, President of Air Europa.
“The A30-900 is a game-changer for key destinations in Latin America. It provides an exceptional cabin experience and the operational performance and economics needed to expand the airline’s network without compromise, delivering the highest standards in air travel.”
“We are proud to welcome Air Europa into the Airbus A350 family,” added Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. “This order is a strong endorsement of the A350 as the benchmark widebody platform for efficiency and passenger comfort in the long-haul market.”
“We are committed to supporting Air Europa’s ambitious growth strategy as they leverage the A350’s capabilities for their future long-haul operations,” he added.
The current state of Air Europa
Air Europa currently flies to 61 domestic and international routes, predominantly from Madrid, serving 54 destinations across 29 countries.
The carrier’s international focus lies on linking Spain with Latin America, and it is these routes that are likely to be early beneficiaries of the arrival of the A350 in the fleet.
In addition to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, the carrier employs a sizeable fleet of Boeing 737s on its short and medium-haul operations. This comprises 15 Boeing 737-800s plus four 737 MAX 8s, with a further 22 of the latter still on order from Boeing. To that end, the relationship between Air Europa and Boeing is far from over.
The carrier previously employed a fleet of 17 Airbus A330s for long-haul flights before these were replaced by the Dreamliners.
Turkish Airlines secures stake in Air Europa
At the start of November, Turkish Airlines signed a deal to buy around one-quarter of Spanish carrier Air Europa. The Istanbul-based carrier will invest 300 million euros ($355 million) in convertible debt, which will be exchanged for a stake expected to be in the range of 25% to 27%, under a deal agreed in principle in August.
At the time of the announcement, analysts expected that the investment would go to shore up the struggling Spanish Carrier and facilitate further international expansion.
Spain’s Hidalgo family, through investment vehicle Globalia, will continue to be the majority shareholder of Air Europa, while British Airways owner IAG also retains its current 20% stake through the purchase of shares from Globalia.
Featured image: Airbus
