Lufthansa is considering the sale of two Boeing 747-8 widebody aircraft during 2026, and according to available information a potential buyer could be the United States Air Force, in the context of further delays to the Air Force One presidential aircraft replacement program.
The German flag carrier is currently the largest and effectively the last major passenger operator of this aircraft type. Its fleet of 19 aircraft is used primarily on the busiest intercontinental routes from Frankfurt, making the Boeing 747-8 a key element of Lufthansa’s long-haul strategy.
According to data from the Aviation A2Z portal, the two aircraft are expected to leave the fleet earlier than previously planned. These are Boeing 747-8s registered D-ABYD and D-ABYG, aged 13 and 12 years respectively, with their withdrawal from operational service expected in January and during the third quarter of 2026. This would reduce Lufthansa’s passenger 747-8 fleet from 19 to 17 aircraft.
The sale of four-engine widebody passenger aircraft on the secondary market is extremely rare today, leading analysts to believe that this is not a standard fleet retirement but rather a targeted transaction with a pre-identified buyer. This has further fueled speculation about interest from the US Air Force, which is facing significant delays in its new Air Force One program based on the Boeing 747-8 platform.
According to AeroTime, the replacement program for the current presidential aircraft is encountering new technical and organizational challenges, resulting in another postponement of entry into operational service, potentially by several years. In this context, relatively young and well-maintained aircraft from Lufthansa’s fleet could represent an interim solution, although any conversion would require extensive structural modifications and the installation of specialized security and communications systems.
For Lufthansa, the potential sale of two 747-8s would not represent a strategic withdrawal from the type. The airline has previously confirmed its intention to retain the jumbo jets in its fleet over the long term, with investments in cabin refurbishments and technical upgrades, while a slight reduction in fleet size could provide additional operational flexibility on its most heavily trafficked routes.
If it is confirmed that part of the fleet will enter service with the US Air Force, this would represent one of the more unusual examples of converting civilian passenger aircraft for state and military use, further underlining both the continued relevance of the Boeing 747-8 and the complexity and long duration of the Air Force One replacement program.
