Korean Air has signed a $13.7 billion deal for 33 new long-haul aircraft.
The mix of 27 next generation Airbus A350-1000s and six A350-900s will supplement the airline’s long-term fleet operations as it gradually retires older aircraft.
The fleet renewal is also seen as preparation for the integration of rival Asiana Airlines after the deal was approved by the European Commission last month.
The A350-1000 is the largest in the A350 family with capacity of between 350 and 410 passengers in a standard three-class configuration.
The aircraft makes use of advanced composite materials, resulting in a claimed reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 25%, in comparison to similarly sized previous generation aircraft models.
With the longest flight range among existing passenger aircraft, the A350-1000 can operate up to 16,000km with full payload.
The A350-900 variant typically seats 300-350 passengers in a three-class layout.
The airline can deploy the aircraft on long-haul routes such as Seoul-New York, where it operates two flights a day.
Korean Air also plans to introduce 50 Airbus A321neos, 10 Boeing 787-9s, 20 Boeing 787-10s and 30 Boeing 737-8s.