Airline Chronological History
Air Europa started in 1986 (registered in Spain as Air España SA, name which is was previously known). It originally had a similar livery to Air Europe but with Air Europa titles and its aircraft were registered in Spain. It flew holiday charters from Mediterranean resorts and European cities using Boeing 737-300s and Boeing 757s as its first aircraft. It was the first Spanish private company to operate national scheduled flights (besides charter flights which used to be its main business).
When parent company ILG ceased trading in 1991 Air Europa continued profitably with a larger fleet of Boeing 737s and 757s, owned by Globalia Corporación Empresarial S.A. It signed a franchise agreement with Iberia in January 1998, but these were dissolved.
The first aircraft for Air Europa were Boeing 737-300. (Photo:Airplane-Pictures.net) In 1994 the Madrid-Barcelona route was established, challenging Iberia on one of its most profitable routes. One year after it acquired Boeing 767 and Boeing 737 to operate flights to New York and London respectively. In 1996 Air Europa operated more than 750 scheduled flights a week and established new routes to Paris, Varadero (Cuba), Salvador da Bahia (Brazil), Asturias, Bilbao and Vigo.
In 1995 the airline inaugurated flights to New York with Boeing 767-200ER. (Photo:jetphotos.com) In 1998 Air Europa formed part of the Globalia Corporación Empresarial group. And in 1999 incorporated new Boeing 737 Next Generation. In 2003 it consolidated agreements with companies such as Aeropostal, Air France, Air Luxor, Alitalia, Continental Airlines, KLM, Malev, Southern Winds and Tunisair, and started direct flights to Quito, Guayaquil, Prague and Warsaw.
In October 2005, the ground handling division, Globalia Handling, merged its various companies into a single commercial brand, Groundforce. In June 2005 it was announced Air Europa was among four future associate members of the SkyTeam alliance, due to join by 2006. However, the joining date was postponed, and it did not become a member until 1 September 2007.
From 1999, the Boeing 737-800 has been the backbone of the fleet. (Photo:Airliners.net) In 2007 Air Europa started two new transatlantic routes to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. The next year the airline announced that it had reserved 8 Boeing 787 Next Generation aircraft which will be added to its fleet from 2012. In 2010 it established a non-stop route between Madrid and Lima and another between Madrid and Miami, which was added to the route that had begun operating in 2009 between Tenerife and Florida. It also adds two A330-200s to its fleet in 2011.
Air Europa received it's long haul Airbus A330-200 from 2011 for transatlantic routes. (Photo: Airplane-Pictures.net) In 2012 -Air Europa reports a record year with respect to new routes opened, not only in Europe (Brussels, Geneva), but also in Africa (Banjul, the capital of the Gambia) and the Americas (Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia). It also formalises the acquisition of the eight Boeing 787s to be added to its fleet as of 2016. Air Europa retired its last Boeing 767 on 13 April 2012.
The Following years the airline continues to expand and flies more rotations and new destinations to America, Africa and Europe and introduces a new plane to it's fleet in the form of the Embraer E190.
With the E190 family aircraft, Air Europa can adjust to demand on domestic and European routes. (Photo:Airplane-Pictures.net) In 2015 the airline announces that it is placing a new order with Boeing for fourteen 787-9 Dreamliners in addition to the eight B787s already acquired by the company. Flights begin between Madrid and Tel Aviv and Madrid and Asunción and the company starts its daily service to Miami using a Boeing 787.
Also in 2015, Air Europa initiates its modernisation plan and presents its new image. The company reaches new code-share agreements with Korean Air, Avianca Brazil, Seaborne and Air Serbia.
From 2015, Air Europa introduced a new livery together with it's new Boeing 787-800. (Photo:planepictures.net) In January 2016, Air Europa Express launched service operations, with three-times-daily Valencia – Madrid service via Palma. Air Europa Express is a the regional carrier based at Valencia Manises Airport. It is a subsidiary of Globalia, the parent company of Air Europa, and was set as a short- and medium-haul operator to complement Air Europa’s long-haul operations.
In July 2016, moving forward to becoming an all-Boeing carrier, Air Europa announced an order for 20 Boeing B737 MAX 8s.
By 2022, all Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner’s will also be fully operational, replacing the Airbus A330 fleet and making Air Europa’s fleet one of the most modern.
In March 2018, Air Europa took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, thus commencing phase two of its fleet renovation programme, as was introduced on the Madrid-Buenos Aires sector.
Air Europa Express was created in Jan 2016 to compete better with shorter and regional routes to feed the long haul routes from Madrid. (Photo: planespotters.net) 
From 2016, the newer Boeing 737- Max8 was to retire older examples. But it also was affected by the grounding of the type in 2019. (Photo: Planespotters.net) 
The Boeing 787-9 joined in March 2018 to expand long haul routes. (Photo: Airliners.net) On 4 November 2019, IAG (Parent company of Iberia and British Airways) announced its €1 billion acquisition of Air Europa in cash from Globalia. The brand will be retained initially within Iberia. The synergy could propel the Madrid hub into a rival to Paris, London and Frankfurt. However, plans for a merger between Iberia and Air Europa were scrapped in November 2021, with both parties seeking ways to revive it, with a deadline set for the end of January 2022. Then in August 2022, IAG converted a loan to Air Europa into a 20% shareholding.
In February 2023, IAG agreed to buy Air Europa for €400 million, with the brand to remain intact despite IAG's plans to make it part of Iberia. The decision followed interventions by the Spanish government, a key proponent of the merger. According to IAG, the merger would allow for the launch of Asia flights from the Madrid hub. Air Europa was expected to exit SkyTeam and join other IAG members as part of Oneworld. In February 2024, Reuters reported that IAG was likely to be hit with an EU antitrust warning, suggesting that regulators found IAG's proposed remedies to be insufficient to alleviate competition concerns.
In August 2024, IAG announced that it would abandon the deal after deeming additional remedies to address EU antitrust conditions too onerous to make the deal viable. However, the takeover is expected to still go ahead once the regulations are met and all the conditions accepted for the takeover.
Air Europa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)in November 2025 to acquire up to 40 Airbus A350-900 aircraft to renew its long-haul fleet. This deal, announced at the Dubai Airshow 2025, represents a major step for the airline as it transitions from its previous all-Boeing widebody fleet.
The deal includes an agreement for Rolls-Royce to power the new aircraft with Trent XWB-84 engines. The move is intended to support the airline's profitable growth, particularly in its Latin American markets. With the new aircraft providing a better cabin experience for passengers.
The Newest Aircraft for Air Europa will be the Airbus A350, which will start replacing older Boeing 787-8/9. (Photo: airinsight.com) Now a days, It continues to fly a modern young Boeing fleet and maintain its presence as Spain’s second airline. The strategy remains focused on expanding transatlantic presence, strengthening Madrid as a connecting hub and improving operational efficiency with next-generation aircraft.
The fleet renewal programme continues to place orders and replacing older 737-800s with Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Enhancing the long-haul fleet with more Boeing 787 Dreamliners and future Airbus A350. Route expansion across Latin America and possibly Africa are also on the cards for the airline as it continues to deeper it's network integration with Iberia and other IAG carriers over the coming years.
Airline Factual Information
Air Europa's most important presence is found in Madrid it's main hub. It also has focus bases in Barcelona, Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands where they operate domestic flights around the country. Madrid predominantly is the hub city and from there it flies to many major European capitals. Madrid is also the connecting hub and feeder for its South American routes, where Air Europa has a stronger international market share and flies to many South American destinations from Madrid.
Air Europa flies to the following destinations* at the time of publishing:
Updated December 2025
The airline's fleet comprises entirely of Boeing aircraft with the exception of the Embraer E195 which is used on domestic routes and thinner European routes which are operated under Air Europa Express. The rest are all Boeing aircraft with future Airbus A350 joining by the end of the decade. The table below is the current fleet operated:
Updated December 2025
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