All reputable airlines prefer to have a fleet of younger aircraft for many reasons. You may ask yourself, why are young fleets important, and which airlines have the youngest fleets?

Young fleets are a boon for airlines

Newer aircraft can save fuel, especially when compared to older ones, which reduces the overall cost to run these flights, and is thus economically beneficial for airlines. Another cost effective aspect of young aircraft is reduced maintenance because of newer parts. Reduced maintenance costs include less time spent away from flying and fewer repairs (parts, labor fees).

Passengers also love traveling on newer aircraft, as the cabins are more comfortable, and boast the latest technologies. Older aircraft, such as the Boeing 787, are less favored by passengers seeking a comfortable flight experience because of the lower height of flight cabins, among other reasons.

Young fleets are also considerably safer for long flights, due to the new machinery of these aircraft. 

Here are 5 airlines running young fleets in 2022:

Uganda Airlines 

This airline is the flag carrier of Uganda, located in East Africa. The airlines operates from its hub at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. Uganda National Airlines is a member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), and works with Rolls-Royce Limited and Airbus for maintenance, engineering, support, and training. 84% of the pilots are Ugandan nationals. This airline has the maximum number of young aircraft in 2022. Uganda Airlines has retained this rank for two years in a row since it started operating in 2019. Its fleet size consists of only 6 aircraft, which includes 4 Bombardier CRJ900ER and 2 Airbus A330-800. All these aircraft are less than 3 years old; obviously, Uganda Airlines has the world’s youngest aircraft fleet. It sends regular flights to 12 destinations; the airline plans to expand its flight schedule. 

SKY Airline 

The second largest airline in Chile is based at Santiago International Airport. It is the first low-cost airline in Chile, and sends flights to 18 destinations. Founded in 2001, Sky Airline started its operations in 2002 by sending a flight to Northern Chile from Santiago.  In Chile, Sky Airline is the second largest airline, and is the first to offer a low-cost airline model. In October 2021, Sky Airline had announced a merge with Avianca to occur in 2022. Regular flights head to 18 destinations, including international flights to Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Sky Airline received the Skytrax World Airline award for being the Best Regional Airline in South America from 2014 to 2016. Now, it ranks as the second airline in the world with the youngest fleet, and is known for owning the youngest fleet in the South American region. Its fleet size is 24, including 21 Airbus A320 and 3 Airbus A321. All these aircraft are new models; the oldest one, Airbus A320neo, is 3.37 years old now. 

Salam Air 

This is a low-cost airline from Oman, a country of Western Asia located on the bank of the Persian Gulf. Muscat International Airport is the hub of this airline, which sends flights to 30 destinations in twenty countries in Asia and the Middle East. Salam Air was founded in 2016 by Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS). Its first international flight was in February 2017, from Muscat to Dubai. Presently, its fleet size is quite small, consisting of only 7 aircraft. It runs 6 Airbus A320neo and 1 Airbus A321neo. Since its oldest aircraft is only 5 years old, this airline ranks as the third youngest fleet in the world now, and the youngest one in Asia. 

Viva Air 

This airline is based in Colombia, a South American country surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and other countries of this region. Viva Air is a low-cost airline operating from three hubs at El Dorado International Airport, Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport, and Jose Maria Cordova International Airport. It was founded in September 2009 as a part of Irelandia Aviation. Irelandia owns 100% of its shares in 6 low-cost airlines, including Ryanair, Tiger Airways Australia, Allegiant Air, VivaAerobus, Viva Air Colombia, and Viva Air Perú. Now, it has a subsidiary called Viva air Peru, and is also in alliance with VivaAerobus, a low-cost airline from Mexico. Viva Air sends regular flights to 18 destinations comprising forty-seven cities in North and South America. It is the second airline in South America known for its young fleet, and ranks fourth in the world in this regard. Its fleet size is 22, comprising 11 Airbus A320-200 and 11 Airbus A320neo. The oldest aircraft of this fleet is more than 12 years old, which is a negative point while deciding its rank among the airlines with the youngest fleets. However, the rest of Viva Air’s fleet are aged around 3 years or less.

Flyadeal 

This airline from Saudi Arabia is based at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. It was founded in 2016 as a low-cost airline by Saudia, which is the flagship carrier of this country. Flyadeal commenced operation on September 2017 by running domestic flights to and from Riyadh, to help Muslim pilgrims traveling to Mecca. Now, it sends flights to 11 destinations, including domestic airports and some international airports in Cairo, Dubai, and Kuwait. It ranks as the fifth airline in the world for owning the youngest fleet. Its fleet size is 19, among which 16 aircraft have an average age of less than 3 years. Its oldest aircraft is Airbus A320ceo, which is more than 4 years old. It has placed an order for more new aircraft in 2021, to increase its fleet size to 50. 

All five of these airlines offer the youngest fleets, in which all the modern facilities are provided for in-flight comfort for their passengers. 

Have you flown on a newer aircraft? What did you love most about it? What might travelers be surprised to learn about flying on newer aircraft?

Have you flown any of these 5 airlines? What were your experiences?