Qantas Airways has become the first carrier in the Asia-Pacific region to introduce the latest generation of narrow-body aircraft, the A321XLR, into its fleet, following the delivery of the first unit from Airbus’s facility in Finkenwerder, Hamburg. The aircraft’s flight to Sydney further highlights its exceptional performance, as it reached Australia with only a single stop for crew rest in Bangkok.
The new aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, features a two-class layout with 20 business-class seats and 177 economy-class seats. Qantas initially plans to deploy the A321XLR on domestic routes within Australia, while future expansion to secondary international routes across Asia is under consideration.
The Qantas Group has ordered a total of 40 aircraft of this type as part of its fleet modernization program, with 28 aircraft to be operated by Qantas and the remaining 12 by its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar. These aircraft are part of a broader order that includes 128 narrow-body and 24 wide-body A350-1000 aircraft.
The A321XLR represents the next step in the evolution of Airbus’s A320neo family, designed to meet market demand for longer range and increased payload, thereby enhancing flexibility and value for airlines. With a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles, it is the longest-range narrow-body aircraft in regular commercial service, while also achieving a 30% reduction in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions compared to the previous generation of competing aircraft. To date, Airbus has secured over 500 orders for this model.
Like all Airbus aircraft, the A321XLR is already capable of using up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with the manufacturer aiming to enable 100% SAF usage by 2030.
