Nearly 2,000 days since it last touched Australian soil, Qantas’ tenth and final A380 has landed back in Sydney after almost six years in storage, completing the airline’s largest-ever maintenance program and restoring its full superjumbo fleet.
The return of the airlines’ last superjumbo, named after Paul McGinness, one of Qantas’ founders, marks a significant engineering and fleet renewal milestone for the airline as it prepares for a busy summer and an expanded international flying schedule.
The restored aircraft will serve as an operational spare during the Christmas travel peak before being deployed on daily Sydney–Dallas flights from 1 January 2026.
According to Qantas (QF), this will boost international capacity and provide travellers with more one-stop options to more than 230 destinations across the United States through its partnership with American Airlines (AA).
Each QF A380 now features a refreshed and reconfigured cabin layout with 14 First, 70 Business, 60 Premium Economy and 341 Economy seats. The upper deck lounge and First Suites have been refurbished, and Business and Premium Economy cabins now feature more seats to meet the growing demand for premium travel.
The largest maintenance check in Qantas’ 105-year history
Qantas says the return of Paul McGinness represents the airline’s largest maintenance check in its 105-year history, following nearly six years of storage. Maintenance and engineering teams from around the world collaborated on more than 100,000 hours of work to bring the aircraft back to operational readiness, encompassing landing gear replacement, heavy maintenance, a full cabin refresh, and assessment flying.
“Bringing an A380 back into service after nearly six years in storage is no small feat,” said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.
“Teams of engineers around the globe came together to complete more than 100,000 hours of work to prepare the aircraft for flying again, from extensive checks to heavy maintenance, landing gear replacement, a full cabin refresh and assessment flying, with parts shipped by land, sea and sky.”
Wallace added, “We know our customers love our A380 aircraft and last year our superjumbo fleet carried over 1 million people on our international network. The return of our final A380 means we can offer even more seats on popular long-haul routes to destinations like Dallas, Singapore and Johannesburg.”
“When this aircraft lands today it will have been nearly 2,000 days since it last touched Australian soil, and we’re proud to return it to the skies,” he said.
What’s next for the A380 and Qantas’ premium experience?
As part of its A380 fleet renewal, Qantas has introduced a suite of enhancements for First cabin customers, including new dining options, exclusive Aesop amenity kits, Bollinger champagne, and redesigned pyjamas.
According to the airline, these upgrades are designed to complement the refreshed interiors and reinforce Qantas’ focus on premium long-haul travel. They also align with its upcoming next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft, which will launch ultra-long-haul “Project Sunrise” flights from 2026.
The full return of the A380 fleet marks a key milestone in Qantas’ post-pandemic recovery, underscoring both the airline’s engineering expertise and its commitment to fleet investment. It follows a strong FY25 result, where Qantas reported a AU$2.2 billion underlying profit before tax driven by higher travel demand, its dual-brand strategy with Jetstar (JQ), and new aircraft arrivals across both domestic and international networks.
KARRYON UNPACKS: For the travel trade, Qantas’ (QF) complete A380 revival signals renewed stability in premium long-haul capacity, empowering advisors to sell more seamless one-stop US connections and refreshed onboard experiences for high-value clients.
