Discover Airlines plans 13 A350s, with first ex-Lufthansa jet in 2027

Discover Airlines, the Lufthansa Group leisure carrier based in Germany, plans to acquire 13 Airbus A350-900s, according to One Mile at a Time. The first aircraft, a former Lufthansa jet, is expected to join the fleet in June 2027, with further deliveries running into 2029 and beyond.

A two-step fleet plan

One Mile at a Time reports that the acquisition will happen in two stages:

• In 2027 and 2028, Discover will take over four former Lufthansa A350-900s.
• From 2029 onwards, it will receive nine new A350-900s, part of a larger Lufthansa Group order.

Discover's long-haul fleet currently consists of 13 Airbus A330s. The report says it is now limited to the A330-300 variant, as the A330-200 has just been retired. By mid-2028, the airline expects its long-haul fleet to reach 20 aircraft, including the four A350s and some additional ex-Lufthansa A330s.

First routes and timeline

The first A350 is expected in June 2027. It will initially fly short-haul routes for crew familiarisation, before operating long-haul from Frankfurt to Calgary and Orlando. A second aircraft is due in December 2027, with the type added to San Jose (Costa Rica) and Belize City. The third and fourth jets should arrive in summer 2028.

Cabins onboard

The four initial aircraft are the former Philippine Airlines A350s that Lufthansa picked up in 2021. One Mile at a Time says Lufthansa kept their interiors, which have Thompson Aero Vantage XL business class seats, and expects Discover to keep them too. Most Discover A330s, by contrast, have the older Lufthansa business class in a 2-2-2 layout, and the airline is also rolling out a new off-the-shelf business class on those aircraft.

The cabins for the nine new A350s have not yet been confirmed. The outlet speculates they could match the Allegris product on Lufthansa or the Senses product on SWISS A350s, or use the new A330 product, but this is not stated by the airline.

Wider Lufthansa Group context

One Mile at a Time notes that Lufthansa is set to drop Seattle flights, which Discover will operate instead. It also points out that Edelweiss, the SWISS leisure subsidiary, is replacing A340-300s with A350-900s, former LATAM aircraft that are due to be refitted with new cabins.

What this means for travellers

Nothing changes immediately: the first A350 flights are not expected until after June 2027, and the initial long-haul routes named are Frankfurt to Calgary and Orlando, followed by San Jose and Belize City. Travellers considering Discover for those destinations may find newer aircraft and a better business class on A350 services, though the source says the type will be introduced gradually. Seat details for the 2029 deliveries, schedules and fares have not been announced, and the route plans are described as current expectations rather than fixed commitments.

Sources: One Mile at a Time