Qantas agrees to sell 44 Boeing 737-800s to AerFin

AerFin's largest deal

AerFin called the transaction the largest in its history. It came two days after Ireland-based ORIX Aviation completed its acquisition of AerFin on 2 November, Air Data News reported. Financial terms were not disclosed, and neither company identified the individual aircraft included in the deal.

The British company buys, trades, leases and disassembles commercial aircraft and engines and supplies used serviceable material. The 88 engines work out at two for each of the 44 airframes. AerFin said the assets will support its aircraft, engine and aftermarket business. The CFM56-7B, built by CFM International, a joint venture of GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, has a large installed base that supports demand for replacement components and repair services, Aerospace Global News reported. AerFin, founded in 2010, supports more than 600 customers across six continents.

Why a dismantler wants the airframes

The deal gives AerFin a large pool of used serviceable material, engine components and other parts for airlines, maintenance providers and lessors. Aircraft retirement does not end an asset's commercial value: engines, landing gear, avionics and auxiliary power units can retain considerable value after airline service, Aerospace Global News reported.

Qantas fleet context

Planespotters lists 76 737-800s in the Qantas fleet, so the 44 aircraft are more than half the current 737-800 fleet. The average age is 18 years. Qantas took its first 737-800 in 2002, so some airframes are almost 25 years old. Qantas Domestic chief executive Markus Svensson said the agreement lets Qantas plan the retirement of the majority of its 737 fleet while retaining flexibility to adjust timing as new aircraft arrive.

Qantas selected the Airbus A321XLR as its 737 replacement under Project Winton in 2022. It originally ordered 28 and later added 20. Project Winton covers 48 A321XLRs and 29 A220-300s, replacing 737-800s and 717s. Seven A321XLRs are in service and another 41 are on firm order, Air Data News reported. The current domestic layout carries 197 seats against 174 on the 737-800.

The A321XLR's 4,700 nautical mile (8,700 km) range is far more than most Australian domestic sectors need. Qantas began international A321XLR flights between Brisbane and Manila in October, replacing larger A330s while adding frequency. Qantas has said sixteen of the 20 aircraft ordered in 2025 will get lie-flat business seats and seat-back entertainment for longer transcontinental and international routes. The first of those premium jets are due in 2028.

Pilot transition

Simple Flying reported that the 737's phased retirement begins in late 2026. It said 737 flying hours are set to fall faster than pilots can complete A321XLR conversion training, leaving a temporary surplus of 737-rated pilots in the first quarter of 2027. A 737-rated pilot needs a full type-rating endorsement, including ground school, simulator sessions and line training, before flying the A321XLR, according to the report. Qantas expects roughly 300 pilot retirements over the next five years to absorb some of the imbalance.

What happens next

The AerFin agreement sets no common retirement date for the 44 aircraft. Qantas will decide when individual 737s leave as replacements arrive. Qantas has also announced cabin upgrades for more than 40 737-800s, with the first refurbished aircraft due in service in 2028.

Qantas expects up to 24 new aircraft in 2026, including A321XLRs and A220s, Aviation A2Z reported. That report also listed the first A350-1000ULR among the 2026 arrivals. Simple Flying, citing a Bloomberg report from May 2026, said first delivery of the A350-1000ULR has moved to April 2027 from a late-2026 window because of Airbus supply chain pressures.