Airbus A319 Vs. Boeing 737-700: Which Narrowbody Actually Costs Less To Fly?

Entering service in the late 1990s as shortened variants of larger parent airframes, the Airbus A319 and Boeing 737-700 established themselves as versatile narrowbodies for 120- to 150-seat routes. Large carriers like Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and easyJet have operated these twinjets for decades across regional legs and thin city pairs. With both platforms reaching structural maturity, calculating which airframe costs less to fly has shifted from factory fuel burn metrics to a balance of engine overhaul cycles, component harvesting, and seating density.