Lufthansa reveals first A350-1000 wearing special centenary livery

Lufthansa has released images of its first Airbus A350-1000, donning the airline’s special centenary livery.

The aircraft is the first of 15 Airbus A350-1000s on order and will be delivered from Toulouse to Munich this fall. It will be the 700th aircraft that Airbus delivers to the German flag carrier, and comes as Lufthansa celebrates 100 years since the founding of Deutsche Luft Hansa in 1926. 

The new aircraft advances the airline’s long-haul fleet renewal programme, with the larger A350 variant complementing its existing A350-900 fleet. 

Centennial design joins Lufthansa’s anniversary fleet

The new aircraft, registered as D-AIFA, will be named “Deutschland.” It wears Lufthansa’s commemorative “100 Years” livery, joining the airline’s anniversary fleet. 

The A350-1000 was painted at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse in blue, featuring a white XXL crane and the lettering “1926 | 2026” and “100.” The paint job required a total of 432 litres of blue paint and 246 litres of white paint.

The special design pays tribute to Lufthansa’s aviation heritage while incorporating the carrier’s modern branding. The A350-1000 is the seventh Lufthansa aircraft to receive the celebratory paint scheme marking the airline’s centenary throughout 2026. 

The anniversary fleet also includes specially painted examples of the Boeing 787-9, Airbus A350-900, Airbus A320, Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8, representing a cross-section of Lufthansa’s current fleet. 

A larger flagship for long-haul growth

The Airbus A350-1000 is the largest member of the A350 family—with a length of 73.80 meters, seven meters longer than the Airbus A350-900. It offers increased passenger and cargo capacity over the A350-900 while maintaining the type’s fuel efficiency.

The A350-1000 will accommodate 300 passengers and feature Lufthansa’s latest Allegris long-haul cabin, including the airline’s new first class suites, upgraded business class, premium economy and economy cabins, offering a significantly enhanced passenger experience. 

Lufthansa has not yet made the location of passenger accommodation for the A350-1000 public. However, the airline’s in-service A350-900, outfitted with Allegris cabins, has a capacity of 267 passengers, including four first class suites, 38 business class suites, 24 premium economy seats and 201 economy seats.  

Lufthansa’s ongoing long-haul fleet renewal

Lufthansa has ordered 15 A350-1000s as part of its long-haul fleet modernisation strategy. The aircraft will gradually replace older four-engine aircraft and support network growth with lower fuel burn and emissions per seat. Earlier this year, the Lufthansa Group also placed an additional order for 10 A350-900s, increasing its total A350 family order book to 75 aircraft. 

Lufthansa has invested heavily in modernising its long-haul fleet in recent years, introducing Airbus A350-900s, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and reactivating parts of its Airbus A380 fleet to meet strong demand.

The airline’s first A350-1000 further expands the carrier’s next-generation widebody fleet while supporting its goals of improving fuel efficiency, reducing emissions and enhancing the passenger experience.

With the centenary aircraft to be delivered in the fall, Lufthansa’s anniversary fleet continues to grow as the airline celebrates a century of operations.