Two Spirit Airlines Airbus A320neos have become the youngest airframes ever to be scheduled for teardown, according to aviation asset management firm EirTrade.
At just three years and four years old respectively, the fate of the Airbus A320neos again signals the aviation industry’s increasing appetite for highly valued components and parts over that for young aircraft.
On February 16, 2026, Dublin-based EirTrade confirmed that it was working with Chicago-based aviation and rail lessor RESIDCO to dismantle the former Spirit Airlines airframes.
According to Planespotter.net, the four-year-old A320neo, formally registered N950NK, was withdrawn from use in December 2024, while the three-year-old aircraft, formally registered N959NK, endured the same fate in May 2025.
Disassembly will take place in Goodyear, Arizona, where both aircraft have been located since they last flew for Spirit Airlines.
A special #WelcomeAboard to N950NK! The newest addition to our fleet is also the 50th #A320 Family aircraft delivered from the @AirbusInTheUS Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, AL. #AvGeek #planespotting #airbuslovers pic.twitter.com/XVSK2TcqXD
— Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) January 12, 2022
In a statement, EirTrade said that all the parts from both airframes will be transferred to its Dallas hub to support aircraft across North and South America.
Bill Thompson, Vice President Origination and Trading for the Americas at EirTrade, said: “We are focused on newer vintage aircraft to ensure that our inventory contains the highest quality rotables which ensure that our customers can be supported with the latest modification standard components. We have also acquired four sets of in-demand LRU and BFE components from the PW1100 engine type within this significant transaction.”
Data from EirTrade indicates that there are over 4,400 Airbus A320neos currently in service and over 7,000 on order, along with 6,500 operating CEO aircraft for which many of the components are interchangeable.
“Given the size of the fleet and Airbus orderbook, this platform will remain the largest segment of the global commercial fleet with demand for USM increasing accordingly,” Thompson added.
Disassembly of the two former Spirit airframes is already underway, with EirTrade expecting the material to be available for market by the end of March 2026.
Dave Kolber, Director of Aviation Marketing at RESIDCO, said that his company’s relationship with EirTrade had been “fundamental” in securing the “highly desirable young A320neos”.
source
