SAS operates 13 widebodies — five Airbus A350-900s and eight A330-300s — and is now negotiating with both Airbus and Boeing over a replacement and growth order that chief executive Anko van der Werff describes as substantial in scale.

The talks cover the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 777X, Bloomberg reported. Van der Werff declined to disclose the number of aircraft under discussion or a timeline for a decision.

The engagement with both manufacturers marks a shift in fleet policy for the Scandinavian carrier, which has signaled that future widebody decisions are no longer limited to a single supplier. SAS currently flies an all-Airbus long-haul fleet.

A widebody commitment would cap a turnaround that began in crisis. A prolonged financial deterioration forced SAS into a court-supervised restructuring, followed by a capital injection from a consortium of investors that includes Air France-KLM. The Franco-Dutch group, which holds 19.9% of SAS, has since taken an active role in shaping the airline's recovery and strategic direction.

Network expansion already underway

The fleet review follows concrete network moves. In January, SAS announced three new intercontinental routes from Copenhagen — Dubai, Phuket and Krabi — scheduled to launch in the winter 2026–2027 season. A new widebody order would support both this growth and the replacement of older aircraft as long-haul demand recovers.

The timing carries delivery-planning implications. Boeing's 777X remains uncertificated and carries a backlog stretching years ahead, while A350 delivery positions at Airbus are similarly contested across the widebody market. Any SAS order would slot into those queues.

Previous commitment was narrowbody

SAS's most recent aircraft commitment addressed short- and medium-haul operations rather than long-haul. In July 2025, the airline ordered up to 55 Embraer E195-E2 jets, with deliveries beginning in late 2027, to reinforce its hubs in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo.

Ownership changes add a further dimension. Air France-KLM expects regulatory approval later this year to become SAS's majority shareholder, a step that would anchor the expansion plans now driving the widebody evaluation — and potentially influence the choice between Airbus and Boeing given the group's existing Airbus long-haul fleet.

With aircraft counts undisclosed and no decision date set, the contest between the A350 and 777X remains open until SAS and its prospective majority owner define the scale and timing of their long-haul fleet renewal.