The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
UPS Replaced Its McDonnell MD-11s With 18 Boeing 767Fs That Carry Roughly 65,000 Pounds Less Cargo Each
Why USP ditched every one of its trijets for a Boeing twin.
UPS Replaced Its McDonnell MD-11s With 18 Boeing 767Fs That Carry Roughly 65,000 Pounds Less Cargo Each
UPS Airlines announced in January that it would retire its entire fleet of 27 MD-11 widebody cargo jets and replace them with the Boeing 767-300F. The decision followed the November 2025 crash at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), which resulted in the loss of the air crew and bystanders on the ground.
The plan involves converting to 18 Boeing 767-300F aircraft to take over the UPS cargo fleet. The shift aims to address safety concerns associated with the aging MD-11s while also aligning with business considerations.
According to the report, the 767-300F fleet is expected to carry roughly 65,000 pounds less cargo per aircraft compared with the MD-11s they replace. The overall operational impact of this reduced per-aircraft capacity is noted in the context of UPS’s fleet modernization.
The source material does not specify final delivery timelines, exact route implications, or the precise operational outcomes of the replacement program beyond the stated cargo-weight difference and the rationale of safety and business considerations.