Discover Airlines expands long-haul fleet with ex-Lufthansa Airbus A350 jets

"With the further development and expansion of our fleet, including the deployment of the A350, we are further strengthening our existing offering, with even more comfort and attractive options for our guests," said Bernd Bauer, CEO of Discover Airlines.

Discover currently operates several intercontinental routes, such as flights from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and Windhoek (WDH) in Namibia. While it plans to withdraw seasonal service from Frankfurt to Anchorage (ANC) in Alaska in 2026, it continues to explore additional destinations. The extended range of the Airbus A350-900—15,750 km compared to 13,450 km for the A330-200 and 11,750 km for the A330-300—will allow Discover Airlines to consider new long-haul corridors that were previously out of reach with its existing fleet.

The airline stated that "the possibility of flying to leisure destinations that cannot be reached with the current fleet" will become available once it starts operating the Airbus A350-900s. It identified South and Central America, southern Africa, and Southeast Asia as potential markets for expansion.

Currently, Discover Airlines' fleet consists of 30 Airbus twinjets: 16 A320-200s averaging 8.5 years old, three A330-200s averaging 21 years old, and 11 A330-300s averaging nearly 19 years old. By retiring its three oldest widebodies—the A330-200s—in 2026 as it receives more modern aircraft like additional A320s and five new-to-the-fleet A330-300s, Discover aims for greater efficiency.

From 2027 onward, Discover also plans a refurbishment program for its consolidated widebody fleet. All remaining Airbus A330-300 aircraft will receive next-generation cabins configured into three classes.