JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) will add 17 incremental B737-8s to its fleet, aiming to replace the B737-800s it currently operates. The company's low-cost subsidiary ZIPAIR also announced plans to introduce around ten B787-9s transferred from its parent company, thus doubling its fleet size.

This follows JAL’s order for twenty-one B737-8s signed in March 2023, with the airline now expected to receive 38 aircraft of the type in total.

The Japanese carrier plans to operate B737-8s on domestic routes across Japan, with deliveries starting in the 2026 fiscal year (April 2026-March 2027). Aircraft from the previous order are to be powered by CFM International LEAP engines, and 17 additional aircraft are expected to be equipped with the same powerplant. The airline did not respond to ch-aviation's request for comment on whether the aircraft will be purchased from Boeing or dry-leased.

Meanwhile, ZIPAIR expects to receive the first B787-9s in 2027, while the last jet should arrive in its fleet by the early 2030s. ZIPAIR currently utilises eight B787-8s (all transferred from JAL) and plans to add two more by 2026. JAL currently operates twenty-two B787-9s.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Japan Airlines has 69 aircraft on order. In addition to the B737-8s, it is awaiting the delivery of eleven A321-200Ns, four A350-1000s, twenty-three A350-900s, and ten B787-9s.