Which global airlines have fleets exceeding 100 aircraft? (2026)

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There are approximately 1,500 airlines worldwide, but only 65 major airlines have fleets exceeding 100 aircraft. Here is the latest data from La, with the following parameters:

1. Only trunk routes are counted, excluding regional aircraft such as ERJ, CRJ, A220, and SSJ;

2. Data is categorized by independent companies and brand images, excluding group companies and subsidiaries;

3. The data is current as of March 14, 2026.

Image: United Airlines Still the Largest in the U.S. Photo: La with Curtains

The major players in global civil aviation are the U.S. and China, with 11 U.S. airlines operating fleets of over 100 aircraft. They are:

1. United Airlines, 1,090 aircraft;

2. American Airlines, 1,019 aircraft;

3. Delta Air Lines, 911 aircraft;

4. Southwest Airlines, 798 aircraft;

5. JetBlue Airways, 290 aircraft;

6. Alaska Airlines, 253 aircraft;

7. Frontier Airlines, 182 aircraft;

8. Allegiant Air, 125 aircraft;

9. Spirit Airlines, 114 aircraft;

10. FedEx (cargo airline), 414 aircraft;

11. United Parcel Service (cargo airline), 271 aircraft.

Spirit Airlines plans to reduce its fleet to around 80 aircraft by Q3 2026, so the number of large U.S. airlines will decrease to 10 by the end of this year.

China also has 11 airlines with fleets over 100 aircraft, including:

1. China Eastern Airlines, 648 aircraft;

2. China Southern Airlines, 647 aircraft;

3. Air China, 494 aircraft;

4. Hainan Airlines, 223 aircraft;

5. Sichuan Airlines, 213 aircraft;

6. Shenzhen Airlines, 205 aircraft;

7. Xiamen Airlines, 173 aircraft;

8. Shandong Airlines, 135 aircraft;

9. Spring Airlines, 134 aircraft;

10. Juneyao Airlines, 103 aircraft;

11. Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong), 179 aircraft.

Image: Eastern Airlines Now the Largest in Asia. Photo: La with Curtains

Globally, Turkey, India, the UK, and Mexico each have three airlines with fleets over 100 aircraft (3*4=12), including:

1. Turkish Airlines, 407 aircraft;

2. Pegasus Airlines, 128 aircraft;

3. Ajet (Turkish low-cost brand), 111 aircraft;

4. Indigo Airlines, 381 aircraft;

5. Air India, 186 aircraft;

6. Air India Express (low-cost brand), 105 aircraft;

7. British Airways, 277 aircraft;

8. easyJet, 189 aircraft;

9. Jet2, 127 aircraft;

10. Aeromexico, 132 aircraft;

11. VivaAerobus, 116 aircraft;

12. Volaris, 150 aircraft.

Six countries have two airlines with fleets over 100 aircraft (6*2=12), including:

1. Emirates, 275 aircraft;

2. Etihad Airways, 124 aircraft;

3. All Nippon Airways, 215 aircraft;

4. Japan Airlines, 152 aircraft;

5. Air Canada, 180 aircraft;

6. WestJet, 160 aircraft;

7. Malta Airlines (under Ryanair), 179 aircraft;

8. Wizz Air Malta (part of Wizz Air), 125 aircraft;

9. LATAM Airlines Brazil, 168 aircraft;

10. GOL Airlines, 145 aircraft;

11. Qantas, 135 aircraft;

12. Virgin Australia, 102 aircraft.

Image: Scandinavian Airlines’ Trunk Fleet Surpasses 100. Photo: La with Curtains

In Europe, nine airlines have fleets over 100 aircraft:

1. Aer Lingus, 343 aircraft;

2. Lufthansa, 279 aircraft;

3. Air France, 176 aircraft;

4. Aeroflot, 171 aircraft;

5. Vueling (IAG low-cost brand), 141 aircraft;

6. Eurowings (Austria), 138 aircraft;

7. KLM, 125 aircraft;

8. Scandinavian Airlines, 104 aircraft;

9. Wizz Air (Hungary, excluding Malta), 133 aircraft.

Interestingly, Vueling is listed, but IAG’s flagship airline, Iberia, has not yet reached 100 aircraft in its trunk fleet.

In Asia and other regions, 10 airlines have fleets over 100 aircraft:

1. Qatar Airways, 270 aircraft;

2. Saudi Arabian Airlines, 170 aircraft;

3. Korean Air, 165 aircraft;

4. Singapore Airlines, 160 aircraft;

5. AirAsia (Malaysia), 110 aircraft;

6. VietJet Air (Vietnam), 103 aircraft;

7. LATAM Airlines Chile, 176 aircraft;

8. Avianca Colombia, 128 aircraft;

9. Ethiopian Airlines, 122 aircraft;

10. Copa Airlines, 114 aircraft.

Image: VietJet Air’s Rapid Growth. Photo: La with Curtains

Adding these up: 11 + 11 + 12 + 12 + 9 + 10 = 65 airlines with fleets over 100 aircraft worldwide. Ethiopia is the only African airline with a fleet over 100, and it operates at a high level.

La estimates that by the end of this year, some other airlines will also reach over 100 aircraft, such as Jetstar Australia, Flydubai (a low-cost airline affiliated with Emirates), Iberia, and Vietnam Airlines. Unfortunately, Indonesia’s Lion Air and Shanghai Airlines, which previously had over 100 aircraft, no longer do.

Author’s note: Content sourced from external media.