Airbus' A321XLR aircraft is set to fly in 2024. Take a look at the new plane and see what new routes it opens coming soon to carriers like American and United.
Taylor Rains
- Airbus said its highly-anticipated A321XLR is still on track to enter commercial service in 2024.
- The XLR will fly 800 miles farther than its A321LR predecessor — and carry more people.
Airlines worldwide are placing multi-million dollar bets on Airbus' newest narrowbody aircraft — and the planemaker is on track to deliver despite some regulatory hiccups.
Airbus said recently in its second-quarter earnings call that its upcoming A321XLR (extra-long-range) variant is still expected to enter the market in Q2 2024.
The far-flying plane is unique because it can journey up to 5,400 miles nonstop thanks to an additional fuel tank added onboard.
It hasn't been a perfectly easily road, however. European regulators have voiced concerns over fire-safety risks relating to the extra fuel tank — a roadblock that Airbus has since resolved, Reuters reported.
Though it may not be the best outcome. Sources told Reuters that the tank redesign could slash a few hundred miles of range, potentially affecting the route options available to operators.
Nevertheless, Airbus is still hoping for a late 2023 certification as the company rushes to fill a market gap. Here's a closer look at the single-aisle A321XLR:
Announced in 2019, the game-changing XLR jet is the latest in a series of A321 planes.
Prior to the XLR, Airbus developed the A321neo and the A321neoLR (long-range) variants, the latter being favored for its profitability on transatlantic and transcontinental routes.
The XLR's biggest draw is its extended range, which is exactly what airlines need in the evolving long-haul narrowbody market.
Historically, airlines mostly flew widebody planes across the Atlantic.
But, innovations in narrowbody range and efficiency has some carriers buying planes like the A321LR and the Boeing 737 MAX 8 for the purpose of more economically connecting lower-demand city pairs, particularly between the US and Europe.
An Airbus fact sheet, for instance, suggests Houston and Reykjavik, Iceland as a potential city pair for which this plane could fly.
The new jetliner can fly up to 5,400 miles, or 11 hours, nonstop thanks to its extra fuel tank located in the center rear of the plane.
That's enough to fly between New York and Rome, between Vancouver and Sapporo, Japan, or between Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.
Compared to its predecessor, the XLR can fly 15% farther and has a 30% reduced fuel burn per seat.
The efficiency effectively provides airlines more network flexibility. In other words, allowing them to fly from a bigger variety of cities.
This is a significant gain compared to the A321neo, which can only fly about 4,030 miles without stopping for fuel.
The A321LR can fly about 4,600 miles nonstop and is famously operated by JetBlue Airways across the Atlantic.
And, the XLR offers all of this, Airbus says, without sacrificing passenger capacity or comfort.
According to Airbus, the A321XLR can carry between 180 and 220 seats in a two-class configuration. That compares to the 206 capacity on the A321LR variant.
American Airlines has already unveiled interior pictures of its future XLRs, which will include upgraded premium economy seats and a new "Flagship Suite" — which will also be on the carrier's future Boeing 787s.
The high-density seating and increased range is particularly important for airlines that want to serve lower-demand markets, but can't quite fill a widebody.
Many nonstop routes were not previously attainable whether it be because of range or costs.
While the XLR adds range and capacity, it will still feature the family's staple next-generation engines, sharklet wingtips, and Airspace Cabin.
These aerodynamic and cabin improvements were introduced as previous-generation narrowbodies evolved and have been the foundation of the LR and the XLR.
Engines, specifically, can be purchased from either Pratt & Whitney or CFM International.
P&W manufactures the PurePower PW1100G-JM engine, while CFM builds the LEAP-1A powerplant.
CFM's innovative LEAP-1B engine exclusively powers the Boeing 737 MAX, which rivals Airbus' narrowbodies.
Meanwhile, the planemaker says its unique cabin design "elevates the feeling of space inside Airbus aircraft to an even higher level."
The "customer-centric" Airspace Cabin features things like bigger overhead compartments, customized seat configurations, and ambient lighting that the planemaker says helps reduce jet lag.
And, it's building on that program with its recently announced Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+, which will see new digital technologies, more lightweight and recyclable materials, and a reusable water system.
Since 2019, the A321XLR has garnered over 550 orders from more than 25 carriers worldwide, including 50 each from American and United.
Other purchases include those from Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Icelandair, Australian flag carrier Qantas, low-cost airline IndiGo, and South American airline LATAM.
Given its low operating costs, many airlines see the XLR as a perfect replacement for older-generation planes.
Icelandair, for example, has ordered 13 XLR planes to replace its aging Boeing 757s that it commonly flies between the US and Reykjavik.
Meanwhile, United's CCO Andrew Nocella said in a December 2019 press release announcing the XLR order that the jet will replace "older, less-efficient aircraft currently operating between some of the most vital cities in our intercontinental network."
An Airbus spokesperson told Insider in June at the Paris Air Show that the cost to operate the XLR between New York and Paris is half of that of a widebody.
Because the XLR seats fewer people, total revenue per flight could be lower for airlines. But because those seats are cheaper to fly, so to speak, because of the airline's efficiency, then the plane can still be a good moneymaker
Of course, airlines also might choose to charge more for XLR routes — for direct flights from city pairs that don't usually get much attention, for instance.
While many people are eagerly waiting to hear what routes the XLR will fly, some carriers are dropping hints.
Many airlines have been understandably hush about their XLR business plans, especially in the post-COVID market.
In March, American's managing director of global network planning, Jason Reisinger, suggested flights between Raleigh and London.
Those AA flights would travel directly from Raleigh, North Carolina, instead of via its Charlotte hub.
AA already flies from Raleigh to London, but does so on a widebody Boeing 777; with the smaller population of Raleigh, and with it not being a hub city, it might be a challenge for American to keep a 777 filled.
But with a narrowbody plane seating fewer people, such city pairs might become a more common option.
"American likes the A321 and we can do a number of things with the XLR, including serving routes that cannot support a 787, but where we still have a nice onboard product," he said.
Reisinger noted American could also fly from US hubs like Chicago to smaller cities in Europe, Aviation Week reported.
On the other side of the world, IndiGo's former COO Willy Boulter said in summer 2021 that the XLR could be used to connect to more cities in Europe and Asia.
India has historically lacked long-haul routes to neighboring continents, but the XLR can fly people from Mumbai to as far as Amsterdam or New Delhi to Seoul.
Meanwhile, a route map on Qantas' website shows the XLR can fly to as far as Hong Kong, Manila, and Bangkok from Australian cities like Melbourne and Sydney.
Flights to Tokyo are possible from Brisbane, but will still be out of reach from major cities like Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne, according to the airline.
Once the XLR enters the market, it won't see much competition — even from Boeing as the American planemaker has yet to announce a similar option.
The carrier's closest narrowbody is the 737 MAX 10, but it is yet to be certified amidst ongoing production and regulatory delays.
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