iscover
Qantas has ordered an extra 20 new A321XLRs from Airbus, bringing its total order book for the aircraft type to 48.
Announced as part of the airline’s annual results on Thursday, the order will include 16 aircraft with lie-flat business seats and seat-back entertainment systems, and comes as the Flying Kangaroo plans to begin operations with its first two A321XLRs in mid-September.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
The next-generation aircraft is five metres longer than the traditional 737-800s it is replacing, with the standard configuration featuring 197 seats split between 20 in business and 177 in economy, and also boasts a range 3,000km longer than its predecessor.
“Investing in new aircraft is one of the most significant ways that we can provide our customers with a better flying experience and these billion-dollar investments are possible because of our continued strong financial performance,” chief executive of Qantas Group, Vanessa Hudson, said.
“These additional A321XLRs will accelerate the retirement of our 737 fleet and open up new opportunities for domestic and international travel, allowing us to reach destinations that aren’t possible with our current narrowbody fleet.
“Not only will the A321XLRs help us serve the corporate market travelling between Perth and the east coast of Australia, they will also allow us to expand flying on existing routes into South East Asia and open up new possibilities like Perth-India and Adelaide-Singapore.”
The 16 new-configuration A321XLRs will be earmarked for short- and medium-haul international services as well as transcontinental flights to Perth, and are expected to arrive starting in the 2028 calendar year.
According to Hudson, the on-board amenities – including the lie-flat seats, seat-back screens, and free wi-fi – will “provide a consistent premium experience for our customers who fly domestically with Qantas and connect onto our long-haul services”.
“All of the next generation aircraft joining our fleet benefit from longer range, more comfort, less noise, better economics and will improve how people travel around Australia and overseas,” she said.
“It also means we’re recruiting and training more pilots, cabin crew and engineers, creating opportunities for our people.”
The first Qantas A321XLR, VH-OGA ‘Great Ocean Road’, arrived in Australia last month, with VH-OGB following in August. They will initially serve Sydney–Melbourne and Sydney–Perth, with a progressive rollout on other routes, with seven expected to arrive by the end of this financial year.
“Jetstar’s A321XLRs will begin to arrive from calendar year 2027 and will be fitted with a two-class cabin to suit international travel,” the airline said.
Qantas Group now has a firm order for 214 aircraft, with 32 already delivered as at June 30. It took delivery of 17 new aircraft in FY25, with 20 expected this financial year and 29 in 2027, including 36 for Qantas, 10 for Jetstar, and three for Qantas Freight.
[email protected]
says:This is great news but, now the hard bit, CONFIGURATION. Going back in time the then fwd galley and crew rest configuration on the 707’s worked well, why not do it again?? – do you really need 20 JCL? why not 16? and now the really hard part!!!!! ECY seat pitch, surely you can do better than a low cost high density pitch especially as there is a plan for long haul use. Remember the opposition has wide bodies which are far more attractive. Try listening to the passengers for an opinion instead of the bean counter planners, that is a better option, you want the customer back don’t you?