Fleet Lookup

See the aircraft types an airline operates across its network.

Finder

How to Use

1
Search for an airline by name or IATA code
Enter the carrier's two-letter IATA designator or full airline name. The tool retrieves current fleet data from Ascend by Cirium and ch-aviation records linked to ICAO aircraft type designators.
2
Filter by aircraft category if needed
Optionally filter results by aircraft family (narrowbody, widebody, regional jet, turboprop) or by specific ICAO type designator such as B77W, A35K, or E190 to focus on relevant aircraft types.
3
Review fleet composition and age distribution
Examine the breakdown of in-service aircraft by type, average fleet age, seat configurations per variant, and any aircraft in storage or on order per the carrier's current OEM delivery schedule.

About

The Fleet Lookup tool provides a comprehensive view of any airline's in-service aircraft by type, age, and configuration, drawing on Ascend by Cirium fleet database records tagged with ICAO type designators per ICAO Doc 8643. Fleet composition directly reflects an airline's network strategy, cost structure, and competitive positioning: carriers operating the Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 on long-haul routes gain fuel efficiency advantages of 15–25% per seat versus older widebody types, while the A320neo and 737 MAX families offer similar improvements on short- to medium-haul markets.

Fleet data encompasses in-service aircraft, temporarily stored units, and confirmed order book deliveries, providing a forward-looking view of how a carrier's capacity will evolve. Average fleet age is particularly significant for operational cost benchmarking: heavy maintenance events (C-checks every 18–24 months, D-checks every 8–12 years under EASA CAMO regulations) become progressively more expensive as aircraft age, creating financial pressure to retire older types when replacement aircraft are available.

Understanding fleet composition is essential for aircraft lessors evaluating credit risk, investors analyzing airline cost trajectories, travel managers assessing in-flight product consistency, and safety analysts studying fleet homogeneity and maintenance standardization. ICAO Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft) and the relevant airworthiness directives issued by FAA, EASA, and national CAAs govern the continuing airworthiness obligations attached to each aircraft type in an airline's fleet.

FAQ

What does fleet age indicate about an airline's competitiveness?

Fleet age is a key operational and financial indicator: newer aircraft offer lower fuel burn (the Boeing 787 burns approximately 20% less fuel than the 767 it replaces, and the A320neo family saves 15–20% per seat versus A320ceo), lower maintenance costs as older aircraft approach D-check intervals (major structural inspections required approximately every 12 years under EASA Part-M and FAA Part 91.409), and passenger-preferred cabin interiors. ICAO Doc 9803 notes that aircraft technical reliability generally improves through the first decade and declines thereafter as fatigue and corrosion management costs increase. Airlines with young fleets typically enjoy CASK (cost per available seat kilometer) advantages of 10–25% over operators of aging fleets.

What is the ICAO aircraft type designator system?

ICAO Doc 8643 defines a four-character Aircraft Type Designator for every commercial aircraft type in service, such as B738 (Boeing 737-800), A320 (Airbus A320-200), B77W (Boeing 777-300ER), and A35K (Airbus A350-1000). These designators are used in all ICAO flight plan filings (Field 9 of the ICAO Flight Plan), air traffic control communications, and fleet database records. IATA separately maintains a three-character equipment code (such as 73H for the Boeing 737-800 high gross weight variant) used in airline schedules and global distribution systems for passenger information and seating chart display.

What is the difference between in-service, stored, and parted-out aircraft?

In-service aircraft are actively flying scheduled or charter revenue service. Stored aircraft are temporarily withdrawn from service, either due to seasonal capacity reduction, maintenance pending, or economic obsolescence, and may be reactivated. Parted-out aircraft have been permanently retired and are being disassembled for spare parts, a process that recovers significant value from engines, avionics, and structural components. During the COVID-19 pandemic approximately 67% of the global commercial fleet was temporarily stored at peak (April 2020), according to Cirium fleet data, before gradual restoration. Aircraft entering long-term desert storage in locations such as Victorville (VCV) or Marana (MZJ) are preserved using specialized corrosion-prevention treatments per manufacturer storage programs.

How are widebody and narrowbody aircraft defined?

The distinction is structural: widebody aircraft have two aisles and fuselage widths exceeding approximately 5.5 meters, while narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft have one aisle and fuselage widths of 3.5–4.1 meters. Common widebody types include the Boeing 747, 767, 777, 787 and Airbus A300, A310, A330, A340, A350, A380. The narrowbody category includes the Boeing 737 family and Airbus A220 and A320 families. Regional jets (such as Embraer E-Jets and Bombardier CRJ) are a subset of narrowbodies with fewer than approximately 130 seats. ICAO Doc 8643 does not formally define these categories but uses wake turbulence separation categories (Super, Heavy, Medium, Light) that correlate with aircraft class.

What information is available for aircraft currently on order?

Fleet order books reflect firm orders placed with Boeing and Airbus under purchase agreements filed with the manufacturers and disclosed in SEC or equivalent regulatory filings. Delivery positions, aircraft type, and configuration details are tracked by Cirium and OAG fleet databases. Airlines may exercise purchase rights options, convert between aircraft types within a family (such as switching A320neo to A321neo), or defer deliveries, all of which are disclosed through manufacturer order announcement processes. The Boeing Commercial Market Outlook and Airbus Global Market Forecast each project 20-year fleet demand by region and aircraft type, providing the context for interpreting any individual carrier's order book.