Originally Posted by
SJC ORD LDR
144. 44 ceos and 100 neos.
For reference, the MD-88/MD-90 fleet is a combined 112 frames. There are also 60 A320s with an average age of over 20 years. So considering Delta's narrowbody replacement needs in the short to medium term - especially factoring in the aging 757 fleet - there's definitely plenty of space for an additional order.
At this point, the NMA is still years away, and the 757s aren't going to last forever. It's not hard to imagine a small conversion/top up order of A321XLR to give Delta some additional long and thin route flexibility, to tide them over until the NMA is launched and keep other airlines from eating their lunch in the meantime. If that was a conversion from existing frames, it could even open up the ability to place an opportunistic fire sale order for some 737MAX.