Air Canada’s first A321XLR completes maiden flight in Hamburg

Air Canada’s first Airbus A321XLR has completed its maiden flight, a step toward the aircraft’s planned entry into service in early 2026.

The aircraft flew on February 27 from Airbus’s Finkenwerder facility in Hamburg, Germany, conducting its initial test flight before landing at Hamburg Airport. The delivery is part of Air Canada’s order for 30 A321XLRs, with the carrier expecting 11 aircraft to be handed over this year.

The A321XLR is the longest-range version of the A321neo family, with a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles. Air Canada’s aircraft is configured with 182 seats, including 14 lie-flat business class seats, positioning the single-aisle jet for medium- to long-haul international operations.

The airline plans to deploy the A321XLR on transatlantic routes, beginning with nonstop service between Montreal and Palma de Mallorca in June 2026. The 3,280-nautical-mile sector will mark the first direct link between Canada and the Balearic Islands operated by a Canadian carrier.

Additional routes from Montreal to Toulouse and Edinburgh are scheduled to follow in 2026, with the Edinburgh service returning with an upgraded onboard product compared to previous seasons. Over time, the A321XLR is also expected to operate from other Canadian cities including Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.

Air Canada has indicated that the A321XLR will allow it to extend certain transatlantic services to year-round operations while opening thinner long-haul markets that do not support widebody aircraft.

The jet is capable of flights of up to approximately 11 hours, enabling nonstop connections between major Canadian hubs and Western Europe.

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