Air Canada is expecting Airbus to deliver the first of 30 A321XLRs it has on order in the fourth quarter, adding to an ongoing renewal of the Montreal-based carrier’s narrowbody fleet.
The Star Alliance airline disclosed on 28 March an update of its fleet renewal plan, which foresees A321XLR deliveries continuing through 2029.
Half of the latest-generation narrowbody jets will be leased, while Air Canada plans to acquire the other 15 aircraft under a purchase agreement with Airbus.
Air Canada holds options to receive another 10 A321XLRs between 2030 and 2032, for a potential total of 40 of the extra-long-range jets – all powered by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) PW1100G geared turbofans.
Upon placing the aircraft order in March 2022, Air Canada had initially anticipated that its first A321XLRs would arrive in the first quarter of 2024, based on Airbus’ prior expectation of clearing certification of the type in 2023.
The A321XLR is the longest-range variant in Airbus’ popular A321neo family. It has been marketed as a game-changer for transatlantic flights to smaller markets that do not support widebody operations.
Airbus in recent months achieved European and US certification for both the CFM International- and P&W-powered variants of the A321XLR, clearing the way for deliveries.
Airbus delivered the first A321XLR to launch customer Iberia in October, followed by a subsequent delivery to fellow IAG carrier Aer Lingus.
North American carriers anticipating the type include Air Canada, Air Transat, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines.
American also expects deliveries to start this year, while United has previously said it will take its first A321XLR in January 2026.
While an important part of Air Canada’s strategy, the A321XLR represents only one piece of its broader fleet renewal plan, which has several moving parts.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, Air Canada retired many of its older A320-family jets and its entire fleet of Embraer E190s, favouring newer Boeing 737 Max 8s and A220-300s.
It now operates 41 Max 8s and 34 A220s, with more new narrowbodies on the way.
Air Canada expects to add seven Max 8s to its fleet this year, with another five scheduled to enter service in 2026. And it is expecting an additional 34 A220s through 2027.
On the widebody front, Air Canada expects to take delivery of one 787-9 this year, completing the trio of the type it ordered in 2021. Further, it expects to start taking deliveries of the larger 787-10 next year. It has firm orders for 18 787-10s and options for 12 more.
On 31 December, Air Canada operated a fleet of 212 aircraft.
