For the first time since its renationalization, the company will be able to fully finance these improvements without any contributions from the state
The USD 65 million investment also includes the remodeling of interiors of current aircraft, the updating of seats, and the installation of state-of-the-art onboard connectivity systems, with the goal of improving the passenger experience and aligning the company with international standards.
The president and CEO of Aerolíneas, Fabián Lombardo, highlighted the importance of the moment the company is experiencing. According to his statement, this process confirms the transformation of Aerolíneas Argentinas into "a company with the capacity for investment and projection with its own resources."
In 2024, the company achieved a positive operating result of USD 56.6 million and expects to double it in 2025, a year in which it plans not to require any State contribution for the first time since its renationalization.
The financial improvement is not an isolated event: it is part of a broader policy implemented by Javier Milei's government to reduce the public sector deficit and require fiscal balance in all state-owned companies.
Aerolíneas Argentinas was historically one of the symbols of the State's deficit spending, but its financial restructuring, with positive operating results, has become one of the most outstanding achievements of the current administration.
Thanks to the surplus caused by Javier Milei's government, Aerolíneas Argentinas has confirmed an ambitious plan to incorporate 18 new aircraft along with an investment of 65 million dollars aimed at modernizing cabins, interiors, and onboard services.
The most relevant aspect of the announcement is that, for the first time since its renationalization, the state-owned company will be able to fully finance these improvements with its own resources, without resorting to State contributions. This situation is possible thanks to the financial balance achieved during President Milei's administration, which solved the company's financial problems after decades of deficit.
The fleet expansion will not be carried out through direct purchases, but rather through the operating lease model with international companies (lessors), which provide aircraft under lease contracts ranging from 10 to 20 years.
This modality allows for accelerated timelines and avoids the enormous initial outlay required to purchase an aircraft, whose base cost can be around USD 250 million. According to market values, each aircraft entails between USD 800,000 and USD 1.5 million per month in rent, depending on the chosen model.
The expansion plan includes the arrival of four Airbus A330neo for long-haul routes and fourteen Boeing MAX in its 8, 9, and 10 variants. The airline's board of directors has already begun the approval process for the four Airbus and two Boeing MAX8, while the management of the remaining aircraft will take place in a second phase. The schedule projects that the first planes will arrive at the end of 2026 and that the complete modernization will be completed between 2027 and 2029.
