Gallery: Airlines Display A New Look-Before & After

In September 2023, Saudia Arabia’s national airline, Saudia, unveiled a fresh look, which aimed to align with the airline’s broader plan to embrace digital transformation and enhance its support for Saudia Vision 2030, the country’s long-term strategy to diversify its economy. The refreshed brand incorporated three primary colors: green, blue and sand.

Saudia said in a statement that it used green to represent national pride, blue to symbolize Saudi Group's ambitions, signifying both the seas and skies, and the sand color was inspired by desert dunes, representing the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia.
 

In October 2023, Latin America-based Avianca Airlines unveiled a new brand, dropping the capital A, which it said symbolized a reinvention that aims to be friendly, agile and accessible to all passengers. Avianca has transformed its business model to resemble a LCC model.

Each 737 had a different tail design on both sides.

The merger of Air India Express with AirAsia India, which took place in March 2023, took another leap forward in October 2023 when the airline unveiled a new look, free from the confines of Air India's livery. The refreshed branding was showcased on its first Boeing 737 MAX. The airline named its color palette after itself, using Express Orange, Express Turquoise, Express Tangerine, and Express Ice Blue to symbolize its brand values and the warmth of India's people and culture.
 

Air India unveiled a modern new brand identity and new aircraft livery on Aug. 10, 2023, that owner Tate Group says “capture the essence of a bold new India, marking a milestone in its Vihaan.AI transformation of the national institution into a national inspiration. 

These moves are part of the sweeping changes to the carrier envisioned by its new owner Tata Group. As well as improving the existing fleet, Tata Group has installed new leadership and placed orders for 470 aircraft.
The redesigned livery will debut on Air India’s first Airbus A350, which is scheduled for delivery in December 2023. 

The new brand identity was designed in partnership with consultancy FutureBrand. Air India is planning a $400 million initiative to refurbish the interiors of its existing widebody fleet of 43 aircraft which is due to begin in mid-2024.

The upgrade will include new seats in all cabin classes, new IFE and inflight Wi-Fi connectivity.
 

JetBlue has always had a unique practice of designing its aircraft tails with a variety of styles.
 

On June 14, 2023, New York-based JetBlue Airways unveiled its new standard livery featuring a bold and all-blue design. The first design—for the A321 with Mint aircraft—applies JetBlue’s Mint Leaves pattern on the aircraft’s exterior for the first time, allowing customers and crewmembers to easily identify it in a new way. 

The first aircraft to receive the new livery paint is an Airbus A321 with Mint, aptly named “A Defining MoMint,” went into service June 15. JetBlue plans to refresh all its current standard liveries as part of its normal aircraft painting cycle.

A JetBlue spokesperson told ATW that all of its Non-Mint aircraft will be painted with refreshed designs of its iconic tailfin patterns. They will look consistent with the new Mint livery—the all-blue fuselage, winglet accent colors, patterns that extend past the tailfin, JetBlue logo on the belly, etc.—but they will feature the airline’s different patterns. 
 

The original livery unveiled with the UAE flag carrier’s launch in 1985 had its first refresh 14 years later, with the delivery of Emirates’ first Boeing 777-300 at the 1999 Dubai Airshow.
 

In March 2023, Emirates Airline unveiled the third iteration of its signature livery. In this latest design, the UAE flag on the Emirates tailfin is much more dynamic and flowing with a 3D effect artwork, and the wingtips have been painted red with the Emirates logo in Arabic calligraphy “popping” out in reverse white. Passengers onboard with a window view will see the UAE flag colours painted on the wingtips facing the fuselage.

The signature gold “Emirates” lettering across the main body in English and Arabic is also bolder, and 32.5% larger. On the aircraft belly, Emirates has retained its iconic red branding which it introduced in 2005.  The website URL “Emirates.com” has been dropped from the design.
 

Hong Kong's HK Express unveiled its new corporate identity and slogan "Gotta Go" in January 2023, which will be introduced on its first of 16 Airbus A321neos, which is scheduled for delivery beginning in the first half of the year.
 

HK Express wearing its iconic Hong Kong skyline.

Copa Airlines on Aug. 31, 2022, celebrated 75th anniversary by showcasing a Boeing 737-800 NG model aircraft livery, reminiscent of the look the Panama-based airline had in the 1990s, a period that launched what would become the Hub of the Americas and the expansion of its network with the vision of connecting the Americas and promoting the wonders of Panama. 
 

Copa Airlines Boeing 737-800 in old Copa livery.
 

In June 2022, Japan’s Zipair Tokyo said it is removing the “Z’ on its aircraft’s tails following Russia’s appropriation of the letter as a tag in its war against Ukraine. The livery will be renovated in two stages; starting with a decal version for launch on June 18. Newly painted aircraft will be progressively introduced in December 2022 and is expected to be completed by Spring 2023.
 

Japan's ZIPAIR old livery with the "Z" on its tails. 

On April 4, 2022, German leisure carrier Condor Airlines unveiled a new brand identity that will see its aircraft wear stripes in five colors: blue stripes represent the sea; yellow signifies sunshine; red for passion; green characterizes an island; and a beige-gold stripe for a sandy beach. The airline suggests the stripes also represent “the diversity of Condor” guests, employees, and the multitude of opportunities to discover the world with Condor.”
 

Condor’s old livery on an A320.

Icelandair updated its airline livery in January 2022 on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with new colors drawn from Icelandic nature, including the Northern Lights. This is the first time the whole livery design has been changed since 2006, and is part of a complete refresh of the Icelandair brand. 
 

Previous Icelandair livery on a Boeing 767-300.