Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) has agreed to sell forty-four B737-800s and their eighty-eight CFM International CFM56 engines to UK-based aviation aftermarket specialist AerFin, the buyer announced on November 4, 2026.

The aircraft will be transferred progressively over seven years, with the first handovers expected before the end of 2026. The parties did not disclose the transaction value or identify the individual aircraft involved.

Qantas' domestic chief executive, Markus Svensson, said the B737s would continue operating for several years alongside newer aircraft. The agreement would allow the airline to adjust the timing of the retirements as replacement aircraft arrive.

The Australian flag carrier is in the midst of a fleet renewal programme, under which it is replacing its B737-800s with A321-200NY(XLR)s. As ch-aviation previously reported, Qantas plans to begin retiring its older B737-800s in late 2026, although it acquired four midlife units in 2025 to offset Airbus delivery delays.

According to ch-aviation data, Qantas currently operates seventy-nine B737-800s and seven A321-200NY(XLR)s. On the widebody front, it operates fifteen A330-200s, thirteen A330-300s, ten A380-800s, and fourteen B787-9s.