According to current plans, the first Airbus A350-900 will join the Discover Airlines fleet in June 2027.
Before the aircraft is deployed on long-haul routes, it will fly on a high-frequency short-haul route for training purposes during its first few weeks.
It will then be deployed on an established long-haul route from Frankfurt with several weekly flights, likely to Calgary or Orlando. With up to daily flights, both routes are well-suited for the introduction of the new aircraft type: they enable stable flight operations with minimal additional complexity, while also offering passengers a consistent flight experience.
With the planned addition of the second A350 to the fleet in December 2027, new destinations will be added: Starting December 14, 2027, Discover Airlines will take over the route from Frankfurt to San José, Costa Rica, and increase the frequency from five to six weekly flights to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). Two of the six weekly flights will be operated as so-called triangular flights with a connecting flight from San José to Belize City (BZE). Belize City is a new addition to the leisure airline’s flight schedule. The route to San José was previously operated by Lufthansa.
The third and fourth A350s are scheduled to join the fleet in the summer of 2028. The flights will be updated in the system over the coming months and designated as A350 routes.
The A350 as the next step in expanding the long-haul fleet
Discover Airlines currently operates 15 Airbus A330-300s. Just this week, the airline retired its last remaining Airbus A330-200, which was about 22 years old. This move reduces fleet complexity and lays the groundwork for a more consistent travel experience.
With the Airbus A350-900, Discover Airlines is adding one of the world’s most modern wide-body aircraft to its fleet. Thanks to its long range, the airline will in the future be able to serve holiday destinations that are currently out of reach with its existing fleet—such as those in South and Central America, Southern Africa, or Southeast Asia.
By mid-2028, the long-haul fleet is expected to grow to a total of 20 aircraft, including the four A350s that are currently still flying for Lufthansa out of Munich. In the following years, nine additional A350-900s are scheduled to be added, gradually replacing the A330-300s.
In addition, Discover Airlines will equip one Airbus A330-300 with the new long-haul product, Ocean Blue, next year—presumably on a monthly basis.
