Actual aircraft sale prices are a well-guarded subject, with neither airlines nor manufacturers disclosing the actual value of an order. One thing is certain: hardly anyone actually pays the list price from the catalog. However, since the list price is publicly available, let's look at the official cost of Airbus aircraft.

First, a note on the list prices

When it comes to how much an aircraft costs to buy, it is essential to differentiate between the list price and the price that airlines will actually end up paying. This largely depends on negotiations and the order size, with more units bringing down costs. Industry sources say that a general rule of thumb is to divide the list price by two, and you would be somewhere closer to the actual number.

Comparing the list price to the aircraft's market value also supports this general rule, showing the possible discount an airline receives for an aircraft. The price of an aircraft depends on several factors, including design weights, engine choice, and level of selected customization. All prices in this article are retrieved from Airbus' 2018 average list price document.

Single aisle aircraft

A220

The Airbus A220 is the latest addition to the Airbus single-aisle aircraft family and has proved to be a game changer. With 100 to 150 seat capacity and a 2-3 economy configuration, the A220 was designed to feel like a widebody. It has two variations with different list prices.

The smaller A220-100 has an estimated cost of $81 million, while the larger and more popular A220-300 is listed at $91.5 million. Of course, carriers placing large orders of over 50 aircraft will not pay the full price.

Delta Air Lines is the largest operator of the A220 family, with 60 currently in operation and 59 to be delivered. AirBaltic, an all-A220 operator, is the second-largest operator of this type, with 42 in operation and eight to be delivered. In third place is Air Canada, with 33 A220s in service and 27 on order.

A318

The smallest and rarest of the Airbus A320 family, the A318, is also the cheapest of Airbus' offerings. The plane, known as the Baby Bus, has a list price of $77.5 million.

It has not exactly been a bestseller for Airbus, with only 81 orders since the start of production in 2001. While Frontier Airlines was the launch customer, the only carrier with a substantial order was Air France, which now operates 11 of the type. However, these are meant to be replaced by A220s.

A319

The A319, which took its first flight in 1995, has sold 1,486 copies. It is also part of the A320 family, with the current engine option, the A319ceo, going for $92.3 million at list price. However, the new engine option, the A319neo, which thus far has orders for 91 jets, goes for $101.5 million.

Not surprising, seeing as the engine is the most expensive part of an aircraft. American Airlines is the type's largest operator, with 133 in its fleet. However, most of these came from the merger with US Airways at the end of 2013, so it is difficult to determine their exact market value.

Read the latest Airbus news here.

A320 and A321

American Airlines is not only the carrier with the most A319s but also the largest A320 family operator in total. It has no less than 424 of both the ceo and neo variations in its fleet. The A320ceo costs a neat $101 million at list price, while the A320neo goes for $110.6 million. The A321, on the other hand, costs $118.3 million and $129.5 million, respectively. Let us look at the hourly operating costs for the a320 family.

However, IndiGo is set to become the largest operator of the A320, with a record-breaking order of 500 aircraft at the 2023 Paris Air Show. The airline is already one of Airbus' biggest customers, ordering a total of 830 A220s family aircraft. Looking at the list price, the deal would reach close to $100 billion, but in reality, it is worth about half of that.

Widebodies

A330

The oldest Airbus widebody still in production, the A330 comes in no less than five versions. The A330-200 is listed for $238.5 million, the freighter version costs $241.7 million, and the A330-800(neo) goes for $259.9 million. The A330-800, as we know, is very rare, with only 14 on order.

Kuwait Airways took delivery of the first-ever jet in October 2020, followed by Uganda Airlines a few months later.

An A330-300, on the other hand, is listed at $264.2 million, and the A330-900(neo) is initially priced at $296.4 million. While AirAsia X was set to be the largest customer of the A330neo, the carrier underwent significant restructuring in 2020, leaving it set only to receive 15 of its 78-jet order.

A350

The Airbus A350 is the European manufacturer's revolutionary widebody aircraft. It is one of the most technologically advanced aircraft in the sky today, offering the ultimate passenger experience. It has two variations; the A350-900 and the longer fuselage A350-1000.

The flagship widebody, the A350-900, has a list price of $317.4 million, while its sibling, the A350-1000, is listed at $366.5 million. The A350 family has proven popular with airlines and has over 960 orders to date. Singapore Airlines is one of the largest operators of this type, with 62 in service. Ethiopian Airlines is the largest operator of the A350 in Africa, recently taking delivery of its 20th jet.

A380

Finally, the turn has come to the superjumbo of the skies: the Airbus A380. Whether it was before its time or airlines were not using it properly, the project never became the commercial success Airbus was hoping for. The last A380 was delivered to Emirates last year, but the type has been resurgent in 2022 and shows no signs of retiring entirely soon.

This would undoubtedly be Airbus' most-expensive passenger aircraft, with a list price of $445.6 million. Once again, this number should be taken with a pinch of salt, with Emirates likely seeing a nice discount on its massive 123 deliveries.

Although the project was discontinued in 2021, we're starting to see some airlines bring their superjumbos out of storage. This month, Lufthansa operated its first post-pandemic A380 flight, while Etihad brought its second A380 out of storage.

Which is your favorite Airbus aircraft, and what do you think of the list prices? Let us know in the comments!

• 

  Airbus

  Stock Code:

  AIR

  Date Founded:

  1970-12-18

  CEO:

  Guillaume Faury

  Headquarters Location:

  Toulouse, France

  Key Product Lines:

  Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380

  Business Type:

  Planemaker