As you travel in 2021, be on a look out for these 10 newest planes that have just entered service with airlines around the world!
Honorary mention: Airbus A220-100 and A220-300
Introduced into service in July and December of 2016 respectively, Airbus-Bombardier narrow-body jets just missed this list. Nevertheless, they are the newest original models, as all others are just variants of older jets.
10. Airbus A321neo
Introduced in April 2017 with Virgin America, the A321neo is the largest narrow-body airliner by Airbus, at least before the A320XLR gets finished.
9. Boeing 737 MAX 8
The first and the most produced variant of the MAX generation of Boeing’s best-selling jet was introduced into service in May 2017. All of them were grounded in early 2019 after two tragic crashes. Ungrounded in 2020, and with fixes that will address aircraft’s fatal flaw, MAX 8s will be some of the newest jets flying in 2021.
8. Airbus A350-1000
The largest variant of Airbus long-range twinjet entered service in February 2018. Together with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, it represents the newest generation of ultra-efficient airplanes and is the manufacturer’s second largest airplane after the legendary A380 doubledecker.
7. Boeing 737 MAX 9
This larger and newer variant of the MAX was introduced in March 2018 and will remain the largest and the newest in service until the introduction of MAX 10, which should happen in 2021.
6. Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
The largest and the most luxurious of Dreamliners was first delivered to Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) in March 2018. It completed the Dreamliner family, which started with the delivery of the 787-8 in 2011.
5. Embraer E190-E2
A member of the new generation of Embraer’s regional jets, the E190-E2 was introduced in April 2018. Its launch operator was Widerøe, Norvegian regional carrier that currently operates three aircraft of this model.
4. Airbus A330-900
Striving to compete with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus refurbished their best-selling wide-body airliner, giving it the “neo” treatment with new and efficient engines. The A330-900, the first and the largest of them, entered service in December 2018.
3. Embraer E-195-E2
At least until Embraer sorts out the E175-E2, the E-195-E2 will remain the company’s newest creation and arguably the world’s most modern regional jet. It entered into service in December 2019, although just a handful of them are operational.
2. Airbus A319neo
The Airbus A319neo, one of the company’s smallest jets, is… problematic. On the one hand, it is extremely new and efficient. On the other hand, it is not as efficient as the A220 – vastly newer and superior model, aimed at exactly the same market. Orders for the A319neo were scarce and since the introduction in December 2019, just several of them have been delivered. Nevertheless, as we enter 2021, this is one of the newest airplanes around.
1. Airbus A330-800
The only new airliner introduced in the plague-ridden year of 2020, the A330-800 is the smallest variant of the A330neo. The first such plane was delivered in October 2020 to Kuwait Airways, remaining the newest airliner to enter service. With 2021 on track to be much better for all of us, the aircraft is bound to be quickly dethroned. At least several newer airplanes, including fresh new models, are about to be certified and enter service. But that is a story for another day.