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The Boeing 757 was once a workhorse of the US airline industry. Launched in the early 1980s, it offered a unique combination of range, capacity, and performance. It was a single-aisle aircraft capable of transatlantic flights or high-capacity domestic routes. For decades, the 757 operated flights that were too big for a standard narrowbody or too small for a large widebody aircraft.
However, in recent years, the 757’s prominence on a global scale has diminished significantly. Few airlines outside the United States continue to operate the 757, and American became the first of the big three US carriers to retire the type at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While United and Delta continue to operate sizable fleets of the 757, what made American choose to retire the narrowbody workhorse when it did?
American Airlines And The Boeing 757
For decades, 
American Airlines was one of the largest operators of the Boeing 757 globally. The Dallas-based carrier took delivery of its first 757 aircraft in 1989, and by the end of that year, the airline had ordered $6.6 billion worth of 757-200 aircraft. In total, American operated 177 Boeing 757s, all the shorter 757-200 variant.
Originally, the 757-200 was meant to replace American’s fleet of Airbus A300s, McDonnell Douglas MD-11s, and Boeing 727s. The aircraft was an invaluable utility aircraft for the airline, with great short-field takeoff performance and enough range to operate transcontinental and transatlantic routes. Historically, American utilized the 757 on higher density domestic and Hawaii routes, as well as some transatlantic and Latin America service. In 2004, the 757 accounted for over 10% of American’s total flights.
The 757, especially the 757-200 variant that American operated, occupied a sweet spot in the airline’s network strategy. It offered more range and capacity than a typical narrowbody, but without the cost associated with widebodies. The aircraft has a maximum range of 3,900 nautical miles (7,200 km) with a capacity of up to 239 passengers, though American’s 757s featured 190 seats, including 14 First Class seats in a 2-2 configuration.
American’s Post-Pandemic 757 Retirements
In 2020, American still operated a fleet of 34 757s. However, as air travel ground to a halt, American took the opportunity to retire the remainder of its 757s. In addition to the 757, American accelerated its broader fleet simplification plan, also saying goodbye to the rest of its Boeing 767-300s, A330-300s, and Embraer E190s.
At a time when few passengers were flying, it seemed like a good time to accelerate their fleet retirement schedule. American aimed to reduce operating complexity, avoid rising maintenance costs, as well as make room in the fleet for newer aircraft that were expected to be delivered in the upcoming years. The move saw American’s narrowbody fleet reduced to just two aircraft families, the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, simplifying training and pilot schedules. In addition, the carrier expected 787, A321neo, and A321XLR deliveries to fill the gap left by the now-retired aircraft.
However, in hindsight, the wave of pandemic retirements at American left the airline in a poor position as the travel industry rebounded post-pandemic. A major reason for this was American’s expected aircraft deliveries kept being pushed back due to manufacturer and supply chain issues. In 2022, 787 delivery delays forced American to drastically scale back its summer schedule at a time when its competitors, like Delta and, namely, United, were operating unprecedented international networks.
No Regrets: Why United Airlines Has Easily Kept Flying The Boeing 757
United and Delta have kept their aging 757s airworthy for years and years.
Which Airlines Still Fly The Boeing 757?
The two largest operators of the 757 today are both of American’s main rivals, 
Delta Air Lines and 
United Airlines. Delta continues to fly the largest 757 fleet by far, with 92 757s still in its fleet. This is split between 76 757-200s and 16 of the stretched 757-300 variant. On the other hand, United still operates a sizable fleet of 61 757s, including 40 757-200s as well as 21 757-300s.
In addition to commercial service, the 757 is a key player in the cargo sector. Airlines like UPS and FedEx rely heavily on their fleets of 757-200 freighters, 75 and 82 aircraft respectively, due to the 757’s high maximum takeoff weight and versatility.
Outside the United States, however, the 757 is extremely rare. The major European operator of the type, Icelandair, already retired its 757-300s in October 2024 and has plans to retire the remainder of its 757-200s in the next few years. The aircraft is also used for private and governmental purposes, including as Air Force Two for the United States Vice President and even as President Donald Trump’s private jet.
Why Do Delta And United Continue To Operate The Boeing 757?
For Delta and United, the 757 continues to represent an integral part of their fleets. For Delta, the 757 is consistent with the airline’s broader strategy of operating older aircraft, like the 757, 767, and legacy A330s. While these older aircraft do have higher fuel-burn and maintenance costs, Delta can offset many of these expenses because its older aircraft are paid off. Instead of paying installments on even more multi-million dollar 787s and A350s, the fully depreciated 757 reduces capital expenses on every flight.
In addition, the 757 and 767 are on the same type certificate, meaning pilots who receive training on one aircraft can also fly the other. This is due to the incredibly similar nature of the 757 and 767 cockpits, which makes it easy for pilots to fly both aircraft on the same schedule. This also lowers costs for Delta as it can allocate trips and schedules to pilots who fly both aircraft, reducing training and operating costs for the carrier.
United also follows a similar strategy, operating both the 757 and 767. The 757 specifically is used heavily on hub-to-hub routes as well as to popular leisure destinations. The aircraft also operates certain European routes from United’s East Coast hubs. However, both airlines have plans to gradually phase out the 757 over the next few years as they shift to a younger fleet.
The Aircraft Set To Replace The Iconic Boeing 757
There isn’t a single airliner that can replicate all of the Boeing 757’s capabilities, but perhaps the market doesn’t require one.
The Big Three’s Differing Post-Pandemic Fleet Strategies
Coming out of the pandemic, the big three US airlines, American, Delta, and United, had vastly different strategies. American emerged from the pandemic conservatively. Their decision to retire large portions of their long-haul fleet as part of a broader fleet-simplification drive caused a dramatic reduction in service compared to pre-2020 levels. Without these aircraft and with the delivery delays of A321s and Boeing 787s, American simply didn’t have enough strength to support the record-breaking post-pandemic growth, and continues to play catch-up with Delta and United today.
In between American and United, Delta came out of the pandemic ready to return to normal travel levels. At the onset of the pandemic, Delta retired its remaining fleet of 18 Boeing 777 aircraft, switching to a long-haul widebody fleet consisting entirely of A330, A350, and Boeing 767 aircraft. With its strong long-haul fleet, Delta was able to support international growth, particularly strengthening its European route network as well as expanding service into Asia and South America.
On the other hand, United emerged from the pandemic in full growth mode. Seizing the pandemic as an opportunity, United launched its “United Next” initiative and drastically expanded its route network. This included the largest US-Europe flight schedule ever, growing its Tokyo Narita hub, and bolstering its positions at legacy hubs, most notably at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. To fuel this expansion, United announced massive aircraft orders to further grow the largest airline fleet in the world. The airline still has outstanding orders for 145 787s, 45 A350s, 286 737 MAXs, and 145 A320neo family aircraft.
American’s 757 Replacement: The A321XLR
As American looks to the future, the Airbus A321XLR is positioned to replace the 757 on most routes. The A321XLR is a modified version of Airbus’ hugely popular A320 series, fitted with additional fuel tanks to support a maximum range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km). The extended range of the A321XLR makes the aircraft perfect for flying long, thin routes (lower-demand long-haul routes), which American previously relied on the 757 for.
For American, the A321XLR brings a lot of excitement. After years of anticipation and manufacturer delays, American finally received its first A321XLR in October 2025. Featuring 20 Flagship Suites, 12 Premium Economy seats, and 123 Main Cabin Seats, American’s first A321XLR will soon be found operating premium transcontinental routes before moving to international flying. The inaugural flight will be on December 18, 2025, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Starting in March, American will begin using the A321XLR for international routes that the 757 used to be perfect for. The airline’s first European A321XLR route will depart JFK bound for Edinburgh, Scotland, with more international routes expected to be announced in the coming months. By the end of 2026, American anticipates having around 15 of the aircraft type.
With the introduction of the A321XLR, too, come the last days of American’s A321Ts, a special subset of its A321 fleet that is used solely on premium domestic transcontinental routes, like JFK to LAX or JFK to San Francisco (SFO). The old A321Ts will be converted into American’s standard A321 layout, with 20 first-class recliners and 170 economy seats.
