The advent of the jet age changed the face of commercial flying forever, ushering in affordable, faster travel characterized by stylish flight attendants and nonstop flights that could take you across oceans in hours. In the decades since, planes have gotten faster, reaching supersonic speeds, and gotten bigger. Aviation safety has also improved significantly: with millions of flights taking place every year, fatal accidents are now extremely rare.
Statistically speaking, the old saying “flying is safer than driving” is definitely true, although there are a few incidents that hit the headlines every year. In February 2026, a JetBlue flight taking off from Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to turn back due to engine failure. Days later, an engine exploded on a Delta Air Lines flight during takeoff, sparking a grass fire near the runway at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. No one was injured in either incident.
As of this writing, there is no indication that these events are related to the age of the engine, but what is the average lifespan of a jet engine? According to Aerospace Global News, most engines used on modern commercial aircraft have a service life of approximately 25 to 35 years, or approximately 150,000 flight hours with proper maintenance. In other words, the engine on your commercial flight is likely to last much longer than your car! Of course, the performance of military aircraft is very different from that of commercial aircraft, which greatly affects the service life of their engines. These jet engines tend to perform approximately 5,000 to 10,000 hours of mission before being retired.
Read more: 13 Celebrities Own a Gulfstream G650 Private Jet
What affects jet engine life?
Close-up of a jet engine on a jumbo jet – Frankpeters/Getty Images
When we talk about ourselves, our children, and even our cars, we do so in terms of chronological age—for example, your car may be five years old. But for jet engines, their longevity is affected more by flight time and flight cycles than by physical age. Most of us keep our vehicles in top condition by performing regular preventive maintenance, and jet engines are no exception, although the process is usually much more extensive! In addition to their own oil-change versions, most jet engines typically require maintenance several times during their service life, which involves removing the engine from the aircraft. It can be disassembled, inspected and repaired to ensure it continues to operate safely and efficiently.
We’re not jet engine mechanics, but we do know that maintaining a jet engine is a complex process that involves many metrics. Different parts of the engine have different life cycles and have different replacement intervals. There are many factors that affect the life of a jet engine. This includes its maintenance history and typical operating conditions.
Commercial aircraft flying short-haul routes generally require more frequent maintenance than long-haul aircraft because they undergo more takeoff and landing cycles than aircraft flying longer routes. Engines on jet aircraft flying short-haul flights typically follow an engine flight cycle (EFC)-based maintenance schedule, while aircraft flying longer flights are maintained based on total engine flight hours (EFH). Ultimately, passengers should rest assured that airlines adhere to strict maintenance guidelines and schedules to keep everyone safe in the air.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.