Condor’s Boeing 757-300 Fleet

The Boeing 757-300 remains a rare and somewhat elusive airliner for many, yet one German carrier still flies the type particularly on leisure routes. Nigel Richardson tells more…

Condor and the 757-300

Boeing 757-330 D-ABOE was the first aircraft of the type to be delivered to Condor, in March 1999. (Kambui, licensed under CC BY 2.0)

German leisure airline, Condor, remains one of only two European carriers which continue to operate the Boeing 757-300.

In the first-half of the 1990s Condor was looking for a low-cost, high capacity replacement of its ageing McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, especially for its longer routes from Germany to the Canary Islands.

Boeing 757-330 D-ABOM shown in a modified version of Condor’s original livery in February 2003, shortly after Condor became part of Thomas Cook AG. Changes to the original livery included the Thomas Cook logo on the horizontal stabiliser and the name ‘Thomas Cook’ on the front fuselage section, with the phrase ‘powered by Condor’ on the rear fuselage. Condor returned to the skies under its original Condor brand name in May 2004. (Konstantin von Wedelstaedt, licensed under GFDL 1.2)

It already operated the Boeing 757-200 on inclusive tour flights and began talks with Boeing which led to the launch of the stretched 757-300 in September 1996, with Condor placing an order for 12 aircraft.

The first 757-300 (N757X) was rolled out at Boeing’s Renton factory on 31 May 1998, painted in a red, white and blue livery. It made its 2hr 25min maiden flight on 2 August 1998. Three aircraft went on to be used in the flight test programme, all of which were production aircraft that were eventually delivered to Condor.

Condor received its first aircraft (D-ABOE) on 10 March 1999, and the 757-300 entered service with the carrier nine days later. Condor went on to acquire thirteen 757-330s between March 1999 and June 2000, to mainly serve its short- and medium-haul routes to popular holiday destinations in Europe and North Africa.

Ex-Thomas Cook Airlines Boeing 757-3CQ G-JMAB was transferred to the Condor fleet as D-ABOR in January 2019. (Markus Eigenheer, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

In early 2019 it received a further two examples via a transfer from former partner airline Thomas Cook, registered as D-ABOP (ex G-JMAA) and D-ABOR (ex G-JMAB), which remained in service with Condor until late-March 2020.

The Future of Condor’s 757-300 Fleet

Pictured at Düsseldorf Airport, Germany is Boeing 757-330 D-ABOJ painted in Condor’s ‘Yellow Sunshine’ livery. (Anil Öztas)

Condor began to retire some of its 757-330 fleet in August 2022 when D-ABOC was withdrawn, followed by D-ABOE and D-ABOF three months later and D-ABOA in January 2023.

During the 2024 summer season Condor operated nine 757-300s out of Düsseldorf and Frankfurt airports, flying predominantly to the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Ibiza, Corfu and Hurghada in Egypt. At the end of the season D-ABOB was withdrawn and several aircraft (D-ABOK and D-ABOM) are currently reported  as stored (as of December 2024).

Boeing 757-330 was delivered to Condor in June 1999. (Eric Salard, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

The retirement of Condor’s remaining 757-330s is expected to be completed during 2025. They are being replaced by Airbus A320neo family aircraft, of which Condor placed an order for 13 A320neo and 28 A321neo in July 2022. Condor took delivery of its first A320neo in April 2024 followed by the first A321neo in June 2024. It currently has two A320neo and six A321neo in its fleet.

Condor 757-300 Fleet

Condor’s Boeing 757-330 Fleet (December 2024)

Boeing 757-330 D-ABOG at Hamburg Airport, Germany. (MarcelX42, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Have you ever flown on a Condor 757-300? Leave a comment below.

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Title image: Since January 2023 Boeing 757-330 D-ABOL has been sporting Condor’s ‘Green Island’ livery (John Visanich)