Got a spare US$432 million? Walk this way, your A380 awaits…

It always boggles the mind to look over the price-tags of new airliners whenever Airbus or Boeing update their list prices.

Earlier this week Airbus released its average list prices for 2016, updated after a “price adjustment” of 1.1 per cent across its range. Not surprisingly the four-engine, double-decker A380 tops the table with a list price now at US$432.6 million (that’s over $615 million in AUD), a figure to make the eyes water of even the most hardened airline chief financial officer.

Further down the range – see table below – a new A350 will set you back around US$300 million, while the hot-selling A320neo lists at US$107.3 million (or A$153 million).

Undoubtedly the A380 retains its crown as the world’s most expensive airliner – according to Boeing’s 2015 list prices a 747-8I can be had for US$378.5 million, while its most expensive aircraft is in fact the 777-9X, which lists at US$400 million. But that’s not surprising, as the A380 is also the world’s biggest airliner, by some margin.

And just how much an airline would actually pay for an A380, or indeed any new Airbus or Boeing airliner, is a closely-guarded secret. But best estimates reckon most airlines receive a discount of 40 to 50 per cent off the list price.

A half price A380, now that sounds more appealing!

Airbus 2016 average list prices (millions of US$) 

 A318                        75.1

 A319                        89.6

 A320                        98.0

 A321                       114.9

 A319neo                98.5

 A320neo               107.3

 A321neo               125.7

 A330-200              231.5

 A330-800neo       252.3

 A330-200 Freighter   234.7

 A330-300              256.4

 A330-900neo       287.7

 A350-800              272.4

 A350-900              308.1

 A350-1000           355.7

 A380-800             432.6