A quiet accounting tweak has revealed a lot about the future of long-haul flying between Europe and the rest of the world. In its H1 2026 report, Air France-KLM extended the depreciation period for its Airbus A350, Boeing 787 and A320neo family fleets from 20 to 25 years — a change that trimmed €24 million off its costs in the first half alone. Read between the lines, and the group is telling the market these jets are the backbone of its long-haul network for at least the next couple of decades.

The fleets involved are substantial: 42 A350-900s, 23 787-9s and 15 787-10s, plus 55 more A350s and six A350F freighters on order. Since 2020, the group has divided duties neatly — Air France flies the A350 exclusively, while KLM sticks to the Dreamliner. Shared type ratings help keep costs down; an A330 pilot can transition to the A350 on an eight-day course without full simulator sessions.

It's worth understanding what the accounting move does and doesn't mean. Depreciation periods aren't retirement dates — airlines routinely retire planes early or keep them flying past full depreciation when replacements like the long-delayed Boeing 777X are late. But for travellers, the takeaway is practical: if you're booking a long-haul trip with Air France or KLM over the next decade or two, odds are good you'll be on one of these modern jets. Air France fits its A350-900s with 292 seats — 48 business in a 1-2-1 layout, 32 premium economy and 212 economy — a comfortable, contemporary long-haul product.

The A350 is a genuinely efficient machine, with Airbus claiming 25% lower fuel burn than the previous generation and a range of 8,600 nautical miles. Its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines are expected to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel by decade's end. Air France's most eye-watering A350 route: Paris CDG to Papeete in Tahiti, a 22-hour 20-minute one-stop service via Los Angeles that uses fifth-freedom rights between LA and Tahiti, running from five times weekly to daily.

The group's record with the 787 isn't spotless — in May 2025, KLM grounded seven Dreamliners over refuelling-system maintenance lapses, cancelling flights to Mexico City, Chicago and Portland, though no safety risk was identified. Still, the direction of travel is clear: these two airframes, plus the A320neo family for shorter hops, will define the flying experience on Air France-KLM for a very long time. If you've been putting off that business class splurge or premium economy upgrade, the cabin you'll be sitting in isn't going anywhere.