By David Shepardson and Tim Hepher
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) will buy 12 new A220-300 aircraft from European planemaker Airbus, the U.S. carrier said on Tuesday.
Reuters first reported last week that Airbus was in talks with Delta to expand the U.S. carrier's existing order for A220 small jetliners by about a dozen aircraft, citing people familiar with the matter.
"These additional aircraft in the A220 family are an excellent investment for our customers and employees and will be fundamental as we work toward a more sustainable future for air travel," said Mahendra Nair, a Delta senior vice president who noted the new planes are 25% more efficient than the ones they are replacing.
On Monday, Delta said it would buy 100 Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737 MAX 10 jets worth about $13.5 billion at list prices and has options to buy another 30. Reuters reported in March that Delta was edging towards an order for 100 MAX 10 planes.
Delta currently has 11 A220-300s in service and 51 on order, including the 12 purchase rights exercised today, which are slated for delivery beginning in 2026. In addition, Delta operates a fleet of 45 109-seat A220-100 aircraft.