UPS Permanently Retires MD-11 Planes After Louisville Crash

Shipping giant to replace aging fleet with more efficient Boeing 767 aircraft.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 9:17am

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UPS announced it will permanently retire its entire fleet of MD-11 cargo planes following a deadly crash in Louisville, Kentucky in November 2022 that killed 15 people, including the three-person UPS crew. The company will replace the MD-11s with newer, more efficient Boeing 767 aircraft over the next year.

Why it matters

The MD-11 has been a workhorse for UPS for decades, but the plane has become increasingly outdated and less fuel-efficient compared to newer models. The Louisville crash, which was the deadliest in UPS Airlines' history, accelerated the company's plans to phase out the MD-11 and modernize its fleet.

The details

UPS had already been working to retire the MD-11 planes, announcing plans in late 2022 to remove 9 of them from service in 2023. But after the November crash, the company decided to permanently ground the entire MD-11 fleet, taking a $137 million non-cash, after-tax write-off. UPS will replace the MD-11s with Boeing 767 aircraft, which the company says are more efficient and better suited for its operations.

  • UPS announced the MD-11 retirement on January 27, 2026 during its quarterly earnings call.
  • The deadly UPS Flight 2976 crash in Louisville occurred on November 4, 2022.
  • According to a September 2025 SEC filing, UPS previously owned or operated 27 MD-11 planes.

The players

UPS

A major shipping and logistics company that operates a large fleet of cargo aircraft, including the now-retired MD-11 planes.

Carol Tomé

The CEO of UPS who announced the decision to permanently retire the MD-11 fleet.

Boeing

The aircraft manufacturer whose 767 model will replace the retired MD-11s in the UPS fleet.

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What they’re saying

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families, and everyone affected. I am incredibly proud of our team at Worldport and how they responded to this accident, and I would like to thank the Louisville community, as well as our business and industry partners for their outpouring of support.”

— Carol Tomé, CEO, UPS

What’s next

UPS plans to replace the retired MD-11 planes with Boeing 767 aircraft over the next year or so, as part of its fleet modernization efforts.

The takeaway

The retirement of UPS' aging MD-11 fleet, accelerated by the deadly Louisville crash, marks a significant shift for the company as it transitions to a more fuel-efficient and technologically advanced cargo aircraft lineup to meet the demands of the evolving shipping industry.