Qantas posts 28% FY25 profit growth, expands fleet with 20 A321XLR aircraft

Qantas Group announced a 28% rise in profit after tax for the financial year 2025 (FY25) and shared plans for growth, including an order for 20 more Airbus A321XLR aircraft. 

In its financial results published on August 28, 2025, the group announced a statutory profit after tax of AU$1.61 billion for FY 2025, reflecting a 28% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, the underlying profit before tax for FY25 was AU$2.39 billion, up 15%. 

“This year has been all about delivery,” said Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson. “Continuing strong demand across all market segments, combined with our dual brand strategy, helped the group grow earnings.” 

Places new A321XLR order 

According to Hudson, the group’s “strong financial performance” has enabled Qantas to keep investing in its fleet. 

In the same financial results report, Qantas announced an order for 20 additional A321XLR aircraft, with 16 of them featuring lie-flat Business seats on its narrowbody aircraft for the first time. 

“These additional A321XLRs will accelerate the retirement of our 737 fleet and open up new opportunities for domestic and international travel, allowing us to reach destinations that aren’t possible with our current narrowbody fleet,” Hudson said. 

The newly configured A321XLRs are expected to start arriving in 2028, bringing the airline’s total order for the next generation A321XLR to 48 aircraft. The group’s total confirmed aircraft order now stands at 214 aircraft. 

Fleet renewal: what’s next for Qantas? 

During the FY2025, the group received 17 new aircraft, which included Qantas’ first A321XLR (VH-OGA)., scheduled to start domestic operations in mid-September 2025. A second A321XLR (VH-OGB) arrived in August 2025 (FY26). 

Additionally, the group’s regional subsidiary QantasLink added five A220s to its fleet. Once the fleet reaches scale, they are anticipated to generate up to AU$9 million in annual EBITDA per aircraft compared to the Boeing 717 they replace.  The regional carrier continued its shift to an all-Q400 turboprop fleet this fiscal year, having retired all Q200 and Q300 aircraft. 

Following the closure of Jetstar Asia in July 2025, Qantas said its 13 A320 aircraft will be progressively redeployed across Jetstar Australia, Jetstar New Zealand and QantasLink to support fleet renewal, replace leased aircraft and support growth. The first of these aircraft will enter service in September 2025. 

The group said that work on Qantas’ first A350-1000ULR “is progressing”, with the aircraft entering the final assembly line in Toulouse, France in October 2025. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in October 2026 and will operate the first nonstop ultra-long-haul commercial flight in the first half of 2027. 

Jetstar and Qantas growth 

These fleet investments are already driving operational improvements, with both Qantas and Jetstar achieving their “best on-time performance” since 2019. 

For Qantas, domestic unit revenue increased by 5%, supported by higher charter demand, including the addition of five Airbus A319s for Western Australia’s resources market.  

Internationally, net freight revenue rose by 7% despite global trade uncertainty, as Qantas Freight optimized its fleet and prepared for its inaugural freighter flight from the 24-hour cargo precinct at Western Sydney Airport (WSI) in mid-2026. 

Meanwhile, Jetstar carried a record 16 million passengers domestically in FY25. According to Qantas, this was enabled by “new aircraft, strong demand which helped increase seat factor by 2% points and lower fuel prices.” 

The airline served approximately 25% more international customers traveling to and from Australia compared to the previous year, particularly in Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. The airline introduced 11 new international routes this year, supported by the delivery of seven new A321LR and four A320neo aircraft. 

Jetstar’s upgraded Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet is set to start operations towards the end of the current financial year. Its A321XLRs are expected to start arriving in 2027. The post Qantas posts 28% FY25 profit growth, expands fleet with 20 A321XLR aircraft appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source