Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines remain last operators of aging Boeing 717

As of September 2025, only two North American airlines continue to operate the Boeing 717: Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines. Delta currently operates 68 Boeing 717-200s on domestic short-haul routes after acquiring them from AirTran Airways via Southwest Airlines in 2012. This allowed Delta to replace older models like the DC-9 and MD-88 without significant retraining or maintenance changes. Delta is now gradually retiring its fleet of Boeing 717s in favor of Airbus A220 aircraft, with final retirement expected by the end of 2026.

Hawaiian Airlines operates a fleet of 18 Boeing 717-200s for interisland flights within Hawaii. These aircraft are valued for their reliability and quick turnaround times but are nearing an average age of 25 years. Hawaiian introduced the type in 2001 and expanded its fleet with additional units from Aloha Airlines after that carrier ceased operations. The airline has not yet announced what will replace its aging fleet but may consider options such as the Boeing 737 MAX, Airbus A220, or Embraer E195-E2.

Qantas recently retired its last Boeing 717s and replaced them with Airbus A220s for both domestic services and new international routes between Australia and New Zealand.

Although there is no direct replacement for the Boeing 717 from Boeing itself, airlines are turning to other narrow-body jets like the Airbus A220 or Embraer E195-E2 as they phase out their remaining fleets.

The legacy of the Boeing 717 includes service with numerous carriers worldwide—among them Jetstar, MexicanaClick, Midwest Airlines, Olympic Airlines, Spanair, Trans World Airlines, Blue1, German Wings, Volotea, Bangkok Airways, and Turkmenistan Airways—highlighting its longstanding role in regional aviation.