Rolls-Royce has marked a major achievement for its Trent XWB-84 Enhanced Performance (EP) engine, which has delivered almost twice the expected fuel savings during its first year of airline service.
The first Trent XWB-84 EP entered service in May 2025 as part of Rolls-Royce’s £1 billion investment programme for its Trent engine family. While the engine was certified with an expected one per cent reduction in fuel burn and a two-decibel noise reduction compared with the standard Trent XWB-84, operational data has exceeded expectations.
Performance figures from the first 34 engines in service with three major operators show an average fuel consumption reduction of 1.8%, significantly outperforming the original target.
The improved efficiency is estimated to generate annual fuel savings of around US$450,000 per aircraft. For an airline operating a fleet of 20 Airbus A350-900s, this could translate into savings of approximately US$9 million per year.
The Trent XWB-84 EP is also approaching 100,000 flying hours within its first year of operation, highlighting both its reliability and contribution to improved operational efficiency and sustainability.
Singapore Airlines, a long-standing Rolls-Royce customer, has relied on the Trent XWB-84 for the past decade to power its Airbus A350-900 fleet across medium-haul, long-haul and ultra-long-haul routes.
Rolls-Royce continues to manufacture both the standard and Enhanced Performance versions of the Trent XWB-84, allowing airlines to choose the configuration that best suits their operational requirements. However, the EP variant is rapidly establishing a new benchmark for fuel efficiency within the widebody aircraft engine market.
