The Airbus A300, a significant milestone in aviation history, has been out of production for approximately 18 years. As of early 2025, there were reportedly 132 operational units, mostly serving as freighters. "The world's remaining passenger A300s are all flying in Iran, a nation blighted by sanctions," according to the data from ch-aviation.
Iran remains a notable hub for these aircraft due to restrictions on purchasing new planes. Iranian airlines like Iran Airtour and IranAir still operate several A300s, with Iran Airtour having one A300-600 and one A300-600R in service. These aircraft have origins tracing back to Lufthansa and Emirates.
Cargo operations dominate the remaining A300 fleet globally. United Parcel Service (UPS) is the largest operator with around 52 examples in service, while FedEx follows closely with 51 units. DHL Aviation holds approximately 25 aircraft. UPS's fleet averages an age of 22.6 years, while FedEx's fleet averages at 29.4 years old.