A handful of MD‑80s remain in service decades after retirement wave

Only a small number of McDonnell Douglas MD‑80 aircraft are still operating, with 21 airframes reported as active in service.

The type, built between 1979 and 1999 with a total of 1,191 to 1,194 units produced, was largely retired by major U.S. carriers such as Delta and American in the early 2020s, while smaller operators like USA Jet Airlines, Aeronaves TSM, and Iran Airtour each run four to eight aircraft.