FedEx Postpones MD-11 Retirement

FedEx has quietly confirmed the retirement of its MD-11 fleet will be pushed back from 2028 to 2032 as part of ongoing fleet renewal efforts.

The company revealed the fleet development in its quarterly report, indicating that it’ll exercise options for the Boeing 777F to continue reviewing its fleet.

FedEx confirming it’ll retain the MD-11 for another four years is welcomed news for trijet enthusiasts and lovers. This aircraft type has seen its numbers dwindle in the global fleet for many years as more efficient options have emerged.

FedEx notes that the aircraft will be kept around until at least 2032, which gives the type another seven years of operational life with the major U.S. freight operator.

Fleet data indicates that FedEx now has 25 MD-11s; based on the available March 21, 2025 data, 23 are active.

The MD-11 fleet’s average age is 31, making it the second oldest by average age, only two years behind the 757F, at 33. As a result, the MD-11 fleet, while getting older, clearly has a purpose to serve the operator for a bit longer.

The FedEx MD-11F Retirement Plan

In early 2023, FedEx called time on its MD-11 Freighters, confirming that while no specific date had been provided, it would begin the gradual phase-out of the fleet type.

FedEx stated that retiring the MD-11s would be essential to cutting costs and reconfiguring its air market for decades, with a greater focus on efficient planes moving forward.

While planes such as the MD-11 have served an essential purpose across the business, their ageing nature and the natural progression of other fleet types have made other options available that offer more benefits.

During this period, when the MD-11s’ upcoming retirement was confirmed, FedEx also publicised that it would focus more strictly on its twinjet freighters, which ranged from the ageing 757F to the 767F and even the 777F from Boeing while also having Airbus freighters present.

Since the company made this announcement, it has axed around 30 units from its active aircraft type fleet. However, the date the MD-11s were expected to be formally retired had not been publicly disclosed.

FedEx now states that the last MD-11 will operate for at least four years longer than initially expected. No reason was expressed for extending the lifespan.

A New Era For Freighter Operators

Despite this, the announcement comes just weeks after Airbus confirmed a delay to the launch of their A350F and amid ongoing troubles by Boeing in launching the passenger 777-9, this launch is crucial for developing their next-gen 777-8F.

Freight companies are reacting to the inability to know when these next-gen freighters are expected to launch by moving towards safer current-gen options such as the 767F and 777F as a short-term solution with less risk while extending the life of existing freighters to meet current demand.

On several occasions, FedEx has been discussing the purchase of next-generation freighters with Airbus and Boeing. As of yet, no confirmation has arrived on the direction, and talk of this deal has gone cold over the last 18 months.

While these new freighters have made a splash and have many companies interested in their services, leaders such as UPS and FedEx, which would likely be in for a colossal amount, are still bidding their time before confirming their commitment.