While most airlines and carriers prefer to operate the newest aircraft and maintain the youngest fleet to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, some operators still fly aircraft that are decades old. When looking at the oldest commercially active aircraft registered in the United States, the top 10 aircraft in the list are all operating as cargo aircraft.
While these 10 aircraft started their lives with other operators, data from ch-aviation shows that today they are split among two cargo operators, and they are all either part of the Boeing 757 family or the larger Boeing 767 family.
10
N937FD
38.5 years old
This aircraft, currently operated by Fedex Express is a Boeing 757-200 (SF), which began its life when Boeing delivered the aircraft to Monarch Airlines as a passenger jet. Today, the aircraft is recorded to be 38.5 years old and has been converted to a cargo jet for FedEx’s operations.
Founded in 1967, Monarch Airlines was a British operator that focused on leisure and holiday routes under a low-cost model, offering both scheduled and charter services. As per reports from The Guardian, there were a number of factors that contributed to the airline ceasing operations, which it ultimately did on October 2, 2017.
When operations ceased, more than 110,000 passengers were stranded across its network, forcing the UK Government to undertake its “biggest ever peacetime repatriation.” Other European airlines, such as Wamos Air, provided capacity for the repatriation.
9
N991FD
39.01 years old
Like the previous aircraft, this is also a Boeing 757-200, which was initially a passenger jet, but has since been converted for cargo operations with FedEx. Age recorded as 39.01 years, the jet began its life operating passenger flights for 
Delta Air Lines in the US.
Data from FlightRadar24 shows that, today, the aircraft operates cargo flights within the US, with the majority of its services being to and from Memphis International Airport (MEM). The airport is a significant hub for cargo operations in the US, and has a strong presence of FedEx, surpassing passenger airlines and other cargo operators such as UPS and DHL.
The carrier’s presence in the airport and city is so significant that FedEx is the city’s largest employer, and its role has been — and continues to be — vital to the city. The name of FedEx’s founder was added to the city’s airport earlier this year, after Fred Smith passed away.
8
N990FD
39.43 years old
With its age recorded as 39.43 years, this is yet another converted Boeing 757-200 currently operating for FedEx, which started its life as a passenger jet when 
Boeing delivered the aircraft to Delta Air Lines. Like the previous jet, this one appears to be operating mostly in and out of Memphis.
Delta remains one of the very few operators of the Boeing 757 and is currently the largest operator of the type in the world, with over 120 examples, almost double the fleet size of the second-largest 757 operator, United Airlines. Delta operates the 757-200 and -300 series.
|
Aircraft |
Delta First |
Delta Comfort |
Delta Main |
Total Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Boeing 757-200 |
16-20 |
35-44 |
108-144 |
168-199 |
|
Boeing 757-300 |
24 |
38 |
172 |
234 |
The airline’s 757-200s have five different seat configurations, some of which are more premium-heavy than the others. One of the configurations, code-named 75C, is used on 11 of the airline’s 757-200s, and these are utilized exclusively for charter operations. However, given the aircraft’s age, the airline will replace them in the coming years.
7
N312AA
41.44 years old
ABX Air is the second operator on this list, and N321AA is a Boeing 767-200 (SF), which started its life 41.44 years ago as a passenger jet. It was initially delivered to American Airlines, before being converted for cargo operations. It is worth noting that 
American Airlines, unlike its competitors 
United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, no longer operates the type.
The flight history of this aircraft shows that it has been flying all over the US, with most of its flights being operated in and out of 
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). Its most common route in recent months has been Phoenix – Cincinnati.
ABX Air is a cargo operator that specializes in widebody cargo services and operates a fleet of 33 Boeing 767 aircraft. The fleet is split into eight of the smaller Boeing 767-200s and 25 larger Boeing 767-300s.
6
N774AX
42.19 years old
This is another Boeing 767-200 aircraft operating cargo flights for ABX Air, except this time, the aircraft originated from Japan, where it started its life as a passenger jet for All Nippon Airways(ANA), 42.19 years ago. This is just the second of the six aircraft operated by ABX Air that fall under this list.
ANA operated the Boeing 767-200s for over 20 years, with the type flying for the airline between 1983 and 2004. Additionally, since 1987, the carrier has operated the larger 767-300 variant, and the type remains operational today as part of ANA’s passenger and cargo fleets.
According to Flightradar24, the airline currently has 21 Boeing 767-300s in its fleet. Of these, six are freighter jets, of which two were converted from passenger jets, and the remaining 15 aircraft are utilized for passenger services.
5
N651GT
42.34 years old
Coming in at number 5 on this list is a 42.34-year-old Boeing 767-200 (BDSF). While ABX Air operates the aircraft, it is currently being flown for DHL, with the aircraft most frequently operating in and out of Cincinnati Airport (CVG) in the US.
The aircraft is flying on behalf of DHL because, in addition to operating its own cargo services, ABX Air also offers ACMI services and line maintenance support for other operators. ABX has previously deployed its fleet of 767s on behalf of DHL when the latter needed capacity, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when transporting medical supplies was essential.
ACMI stands for Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance. Such services enable airlines to quickly deploy capacity on their behalf, with a third-party operator providing the required aircraft, crew, and other resources and operating services on behalf of the principal carrier.
4
N745AX
42.47 years old
This Boeing 767-200 (BDSF) began commercial service 42.47 years ago with Delta Air Lines as a passenger jet, was later converted for cargo operations, and is now operated by ABX Air. This is the first of the two 767s from Delta that ABX Air operates that fall under this list.
Much like the smaller 757s, Delta is also the largest operator of the Boeing 767s, and according to the Delta Flight Museum, the carrier has operated every variant of the 767 family, including 15 Boeing 767-200s. The carrier operated the variant for 24 years, from 1982 to 2006. However, the carrier is yet to retire its fleet of the larger 767-300ERs and 767-400ERs.
The carrier has also announced it will phase out its entire fleet of Boeing 767-300ERs by 2030. Meanwhile, the larger 767-400ER variants will continue into the next decade as they are somewhat younger.
3
N744AX
42.53 years old
In third place is another Boeing 767-200 (BDSF) aircraft, which began its life with Delta Air Lines 42.53 years ago, and now operates for ABX Air. While this list accounts for two of the 15 Boeing 767s Delta operated in the past, there are two other examples of the type that ended up with ABX Air, which are slightly younger but are either stored or no longer commercially active as per the latest aircraft data.
Cross-referencing Delta’s fleet history from the Delta Flight Museum with data from Flightradar24 shows that some of the other operators that acquired 767-200s from Delta include Air Transport International, Amerijet International, and Maersk Air Cargo. All of these operators had the aircraft converted for cargo operations.
2
N935FD
42.66 years old
With a recorded age of 42.66 years, this Boeing 757-200 (SF) is the second-oldest aircraft on this list and the oldest commercially active 757 in the US. The aircraft began its commercial service with Monarch Airlines and now operates cargo services for FedEx.
Like the previous FedEx-operated aircraft on this list, this too operates quite frequently in and out of Memphis. However, this is just one of the carrier’s cargo hubs within the US and around the world. Other hubs in the US include Anchorage International Airport, Dallas, Piedmont, and more. However, the operator faces more competition at these hubs.These hubs in the US and around the world are served by FedEx’s fleet of aircraft types, including narrowbody jets such as 737 and 757Fs, widebody jets such as 767s and 777Fs, and even regional turboprop aircraft such as ATR 42s and Cessna 408s.
1
N650GT
42.88 years old
At 42.88 years old, this Boeing 767-200 (BDSF) is the oldest commercially active aircraft in the US. This is an aircraft that started commercial operations carrying passengers for TWA, after which the aircraft was converted and operated as a cargo jet by ABX Air, and this aircraft is currently being operated on behalf of DHL.
The first example of the type entered service with TWA in late 1982, after which the airline increased its fleet of Boeing 767s, even taking delivery of the larger 767-300 variant. By the time American Airlines acquired TWA in 2001, TWA had a total fleet of 22 Boeing 767s.
American is the only one of the three largest US carriers not to operate the Boeing 767s (and the 757s), as the airline had chosen to retire the types at the onset of COVID-19, along with four families of aging aircraft. At the time of phasing out the 767 fleet, the airline had 17 examples of the type.
