Overview
- Airbus handed over the first of 30 A321XLRs to Air Canada, which leased the jet from SMBC Aviation Capital and becomes the type’s first operator in Canada.
- The jet’s range of up to 4,700 nautical miles and about 30% lower fuel burn per seat let Air Canada plan nonstop links from Montreal and Toronto to cities like Berlin, Toulouse, and Edinburgh.
- Air Canada fitted 14 lie‑flat Signature Class seats in a 1‑1 layout and 168 economy seats, plus Bluetooth audio, in‑seat power, XL overhead bins, and ambient lighting to ease jet lag.
- Pratt & Whitney GTF engines power the aircraft, which the airline positions to bridge the gap between its short‑haul narrowbodies and long‑haul widebodies.
- Airbus reported more than 500 A321XLR orders by March 2026, signaling broad airline demand for long‑range single‑aisle aircraft.