The top five airlines in North America with the youngest fleet of jets

Only one US airline ranked in the top 5 for having the youngest fleet of aircraft in North America, with Canada and Mexico dominating — here’s the full list

Swiss aviation data firm CH Aviation ranked the airlines with the newest fleet of aircraft. Only one US airline made the list from the North American ranking, and Canadian and Mexican ultra-low-cost airlines dominated in North America.

Some airlines can now boast about having a new plane smell on their aircraft.

Aviation data company CH Aviation recently unveiled its list of airlines with the youngest fleet of aircraft, determined by the average age of an airline’s fleet. Airlines in six regions of the world were analyzed for the ranking, with five from each earning recognition for their fleet efforts.

Airlines from the US, Canada, and Mexico ranked highest in the North American segment of the ranking. But only a single US airline made the top five; albeit, the very top spot.

Canadian and Mexican airlines dominated the list, with two airlines representing each country. All five airlines on the list represent the ultra-low-cost segment of the industry, which is known for being incredibly cost-minded.

Investing in new aircraft helps keep fuel and maintenance costs low, especially when airlines choose next-generation models from Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer despite the higher acquisition costs compared to older models.

But while all of the airlines on the top five list can boast a young fleet, not all can boast a sprawling or prestigious fleet. For example, only one airline in the ranking has a fleet larger than 100 aircraft, and some are recently launched startup airlines.

Here’s which airlines in North America are flying the youngest aircraft:

1. Frontier Airlines earned the top spot in the US with its 112-aircraft fleet boasting an average aircraft age of 4.15 years. CH Aviation also credited Frontier with having the youngest fleet of any airline with more than 100 aircraft. Recent fleet renewal efforts have seen Frontier retire older models in favor of the Airbus A320, Airbus A320neo, and Airbus A321.

The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier claims that it is 43% more fuel-efficient than rivals, giving itself the moniker of “America’s greenest airline,” thanks mainly to the aircraft it operates.

Even more efficient aircraft are on the way as Frontier and parent company Indigo Partners placed a 91-aircraft order for the Airbus A321neos at the Dubai Airshow in November. Frontier primarily flies to leisure destinations in the US, Caribbean, and Central America.

2. Canada’s Flair Airlines ranked second on the list thanks to its 12 Boeing 737s that only have an average age of 4.42 years. The Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 Max 8 serve as the backbone to Flair’s fleet, which serves a growing list of 33 destinations. In December, Flair announced it would lease 14 additional 737 Max aircraft and aims to grow its fleet to 30 aircraft by mid-2023. Boeing’s next-generation jet is opening new Flair destinations, including New York and Chicago in the spring.

3. Another Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier, VivaAerobus, came in third place with 52 aircraft having an average fleet age of 5.29 years. Formerly a Boeing 737 airline, according to Planespotters.net, it now mainly flies Airbus aircraft, including the A320, A321, A320neo, and A321neo.

4. Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Volaris earned the fourth spot as its 99-aircraft fleet has an average age of 5.61 years. Airbus aircraft solely comprise the Volaris fleet, including the A320, A320neo, A321, and A321neo. Holding the airline back is a sub-fleet of three Airbus A319 aircraft that, according to Planespotters.net, have an average age of 15.4 years.

5. Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier Swoop and its fleet of Boeing aircraft earned fifth place in the ranking. The ten pink and white Boeing 737-800 aircraft boast an average age of 6.21 years. All of Swoop’s aircraft came originally from parent company WestJet, which originally took delivery of the aircraft from Boeing.