airBaltic has welcomed a new Airbus A220-300 into its fleet, reinforcing the Latvian carrier’s strategy of operating a modern, single-type narrowbody fleet while expanding its network and elevating the onboard experience for passengers. The latest delivery, which arrived at the end of December 2025 and entered service in early 2026, brings the airline’s A220-300 fleet to 52 aircraft and underscores its status as the largest operator of the type in Europe.
New Aircraft Arrival Bolsters airBaltic’s Growing A220 Fleet
The newly delivered A220-300, registered YL-BTB, is the third aircraft of the type that airBaltic received in 2025 and follows closely on the arrival of its 51st A220-300 earlier in December. The aircraft joined the carrier’s hub operation at Riga International Airport, where the A220 already forms the backbone of flights connecting the Baltic States with destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of North Africa and the Caucasus.
This latest addition is part of a broader fleet plan in which airBaltic intends to grow its A220-300 fleet to close to 100 aircraft by 2030. The airline has steadily built up its orderbook, with a firm commitment for 90 A220-300s after exercising additional options with Airbus. The current fleet of 52 aircraft gives airBaltic one of the youngest narrowbody fleets in Europe, with an average age of a little over four years.
airBaltic first introduced the A220-300 in 2016 as the launch operator of the then Bombardier C Series. Since May 2020 it has flown an all A220-300 fleet on scheduled services, retiring its older Boeing 737 and Dash 8 aircraft. The decision to operate a single aircraft type has become central to its growth strategy and central to its ability to respond swiftly to shifting market demand.
Single-Type Strategy Aimed at Efficiency and Reliability
By welcoming another A220-300, airBaltic is doubling down on a single-type fleet strategy that management says improves everything from cost control to operational resilience. Running an all A220-300 operation simplifies crew training, maintenance, spare parts logistics, and scheduling. Pilots and cabin crew can be rostered more flexibly because they are all qualified on the same type, and maintenance teams can focus expertise and inventories on one aircraft family.
The strategy has helped the airline reduce complexity at a time when many carriers across Europe are dealing with capacity constraints and supply chain disruptions. Although Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine issues have affected operators globally, airBaltic has managed to keep the majority of its aircraft in service, with only a minority grounded for extended maintenance at any given time. The constant flow of new deliveries, including the latest A220-300, is allowing the airline to sustain and even grow its schedule despite these challenges.
Operational data underscores how central the A220 has become. Since the type joined the fleet, airBaltic’s A220-300s have carried more than 23 million passengers on roughly 241,000 flights, logging over half a million block hours. The new aircraft joins a mature, well-utilized fleet that has already proven itself in high-frequency European operations and longer sectors from Riga and secondary bases.
Supporting Network Growth and ACMI Partnerships
The expansion of the A220-300 fleet is closely tied to airBaltic’s ambitions to extend its network reach and develop new revenue streams through ACMI and wet-lease operations. The latest aircraft will not only support the airline’s own scheduled services from the Baltic capitals but also be deployed on flights operated for partner airlines across Europe.
airBaltic has emerged as a key ACMI provider of A220 capacity, offering aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance to other carriers that are short of lift or looking to trial the type. The airline recently deepened its partnership with Air Serbia through a two-year wet lease deal under which airBaltic A220-300s operate selected flights for the Serbian flag carrier. During winter 2025 and 2026, two airBaltic A220s are earmarked for Air Serbia, rising to four units during the summer 2026 peak, highlighting how the expanded fleet directly supports partner network growth.
The additional capacity also aligns with broader commercial collaborations. AirBaltic’s growing A220-300 fleet underpins new and expanded codeshare and interline arrangements, such as its recent codeshare agreement with Air India. That partnership aims to improve connectivity between India and the Baltic region, with passengers able to connect onto airBaltic’s A220-operated flights from Riga to destinations across Northern and Eastern Europe.
Enhanced Passenger Experience at the Heart of the A220-300
For travelers, the arrival of another A220-300 translates directly into more seats on routes that have seen robust demand, with the advantage of a consistent onboard product across the network. The A220-300 cabin is configured to seat 148 passengers in a 2–3 layout, a configuration that significantly reduces the number of dreaded middle seats while allowing for wider individual seats than those typically found on traditional narrowbodies.
Large windows, generous overhead bins, and redesigned lavatories contribute to a sense of space that passengers often associate more with widebody aircraft than with single-aisle jets. The aircraft’s quieter cabin, a result of both engine and aerodynamic advances, also improves comfort on early-morning and late-evening flights, a significant consideration for frequent business travelers and families alike.
airBaltic has used the A220-300 platform to differentiate its product through technology. The airline is progressively equipping the fleet with free high-speed Starlink satellite internet, and has become the first European carrier to roll out this service. More than 20 aircraft are already fitted, with the newest deliveries, including YL-BTB, arriving pre-equipped or prepared for rapid installation. Passengers can stream, work, or stay connected across the majority of the airline’s network without added charges, raising expectations for onboard connectivity in the regional and short-haul market.
Environmental Performance and Fleet Age Advantage
The A220-300 is central to airBaltic’s environmental narrative. The type delivers up to 25 percent lower fuel burn compared with older-generation narrowbodies, alongside reductions in carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. Its smaller noise footprint allows the airline to operate within tighter environmental constraints at noise-sensitive airports, particularly in Northern and Western Europe.
These performance gains are reflected in airBaltic’s recognition from industry analysts for operating one of Europe’s youngest fleets. The airline was recently named among Europe’s top three youngest fleets, with an average age of around 4.4 years. Each new aircraft delivery, including the latest A220-300, further reduces that average and positions the carrier favorably as regulators, investors, and passengers scrutinize environmental performance more closely.
For communities and airports, the environmental attributes of the A220-300 are increasingly important. The quieter, more efficient aircraft supports growth in passenger volumes without proportionate increases in noise or emissions, an especially sensitive topic in markets such as Germany, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom, where airBaltic is adding services or relaunching routes.
Route Developments and Seasonal Capacity Flexibility
airBaltic’s enlarged A220-300 fleet gives the carrier greater flexibility to adapt to seasonal travel flows across Europe. The new aircraft has been earmarked both for scheduled expansion on core routes from Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius and for seasonal services to leisure destinations around the Mediterranean and in Western Europe.
One area where the fleet boost is already visible is in the restoration and development of regional links that were previously cut due to capacity constraints. The airline has announced the return of seasonal services such as the Aberdeen to Riga route, set to operate in summer 2026 with the A220-300. That route had been suspended amid aircraft shortages and engine maintenance issues, and its relaunch reflects how new A220 deliveries are enabling airBaltic to rebuild and expand its network.
The additional A220-300 also supports a more dynamic capacity strategy during peak holiday periods and shoulder seasons. With a standardized fleet, the airline can more easily redeploy aircraft to match demand spikes for city-break traffic to Riga and other Baltic cities, as well as to sun destinations popular with travelers from Northern Europe. The use of A220s on ACMI contracts for other airlines gives airBaltic a further outlet for capacity when demand in its home markets is softer, supporting better year-round utilization of the fleet.
Strategic Orders and Long-Term Growth Trajectory
The arrival of the latest A220-300 is a visible sign of a long-term fleet plan that has been unfolding steadily since airBaltic became the type’s launch operator. In August 2024, the airline firmed up an order for 10 additional A220-300s, bringing its total firm commitment to 90 aircraft. That order represented the fourth time airBaltic has expanded its A220 backlog, underscoring management’s confidence in the aircraft as the central pillar of its growth strategy.
With 52 aircraft now in service and dozens more to come, airBaltic is effectively halfway along its path toward operating around 100 A220-300s by the end of the decade. This long-term alignment with Airbus and the A220 program provides leverage in negotiations on pricing, support, and customization, while giving the airline a clear fleet roadmap that investors and partners can understand.
The scale of the commitment also positions airBaltic as a reference operator for the A220-300 in Europe. The airline’s operational data, maintenance experience, and customer feedback on the type are closely watched by other carriers considering the aircraft for their own fleets or for replacement of older narrowbodies. The newest aircraft will continue to generate insights in areas such as engine performance, cabin reliability, and real-world fuel burn that could influence future fleet decisions across the industry.
Implications for Travelers and the Baltic Region
For travelers, the strengthening of airBaltic’s A220-300 fleet means more consistent access to modern aircraft and onboard amenities across the airline’s route map. The addition of another A220-300 increases the likelihood that passengers departing secondary bases or regional gateways will experience the same wide seats, large windows, quiet cabin, and connectivity that are now standard on core routes from Riga.
The enhanced fleet capability also supports broader economic and tourism goals in Latvia and its neighbors. As airBaltic connects the Baltic capitals to more destinations with higher frequencies, it becomes easier for inbound visitors to plan short stays and for local businesses to tap into markets across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. The A220-300’s size and range are particularly well suited to thin or developing markets, allowing the airline to test new city pairs with a right-sized aircraft while offering a competitive onboard product.
With this latest A220-300 now in service, airBaltic is reinforcing the central role of Riga as a hub linking the Baltic region with the rest of Europe, and further entrenching the A220-300 as one of the most visible symbols of the airline’s brand. As additional deliveries follow in the coming years, passengers can expect the network to keep expanding, all while benefiting from a more comfortable and increasingly connected experience on board the airline’s distinctive lime-green jets.