Lufthansa Celebrates 100 Years with Special Anniversary Fleet Livery

Lufthansa Celebrates Centennial with Iconic Anniversary Fleet and Custom Livery

Lufthansa is marking a historic milestone with the announcement of its anniversary fleet program, featuring six specially painted aircraft to commemorate the airline’s 100-year founding in 1926. The initiative represents one of aviation’s most visible celebrations of a major corporate anniversary.

The commemorative livery design carries significant cultural symbolism. Featuring a white crane on a blue fuselage with wings extending across the aircraft’s wings, the design incorporates three distinct “100” markings—one on the left fuselage, “1926/2026” on the right, and an additional marking on the aircraft’s underside. This multi-point branding strategy ensures visibility from multiple angles during both ground operations and flight.

Fleet Selection Reflects Strategic Diversity

Lufthansa’s aircraft selection showcases the airline’s current operational scope. The first aircraft to receive the livery will be a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner named “Berlin” (registration D-ABPU), expected to arrive in Frankfurt in December 2025. Five additional aircraft will complete the anniversary fleet: an Airbus A380, an A350-1000, an A350-900, an A320, and a Boeing 747-8.

This diverse selection spans Lufthansa’s entire commercial portfolio, from narrowbody A320s serving primarily European routes to widebody aircraft deployed on long-haul international operations. The inclusion of both A350 variants particularly underscores Lufthansa’s ongoing fleet modernization initiatives.

Implementation Timeline and Operations

The airline plans to gradually apply the special livery throughout 2025 and 2026, with full deployment expected by fall 2026. Throughout the anniversary year, these aircraft will operate on scheduled commercial flights across Lufthansa’s global network, maximizing the visibility of the commemorative design to passengers and aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

The 787-9 “Berlin” arrival in December 2025 marks the program’s commencement, setting the stage for sequential aircraft additions leading into the celebration year. By deploying anniversary livery aircraft across regional, continental, and intercontinental routes, Lufthansa ensures consistent brand visibility throughout its network operations.

Industry Significance

This anniversary initiative demonstrates how legacy carriers leverage fleet modernization milestones to reinforce brand heritage. For Lufthansa, the program connects its century of aviation history with contemporary fleet technology, symbolizing the company’s evolution from its 1926 origins to current operational standards. The project also highlights the value airlines place on visual brand recognition in an increasingly competitive global aviation market.

Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764102540380-937