Qantas begins commercial flights with Airbus A321XLR in Australia

Qantas has started on Thursday commercial flights with its first two Airbus A321XLR jets, becoming the first carrier in the Asia-Pacific region to employ the narrow-body, ultra-long-range aircraft on revenue flights.

The new jets are serving routes between Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Sydney and Perth, where they have replaced the Boeing 737-800 previously used by the Australian airline.

The A321XLR offers a wider cabin and capacity for up to 197 passengers, a 13% increase compared to the 737-800. The seats and windows are larger, and the baggage compartment allows for 60% more volume per flight.

“Seeing our A321XLRs take to the skies with customers for the first time is a proud moment for everyone involved and testament to the incredible efforts of the teams across Qantas and Airbus,” said Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson.

With a range of up to 4,700 nm (8,700 km), the new airplane surpasses the autonomy of the 737-800, which reaches 5,700 km, and will also be used on medium-haul international routes from Australia. The fleet uses Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, which provide lower fuel consumption per seat and a reduction in carbon emissions.

Qantas stated that it has conducted 350 training flights and 40,000 hours of training for the A321XLR’s entry into operation. The aircraft are named after walks, rivers, and roads in the country.

In the context of the largest fleet renewal program in the airline’s history, Qantas expects to receive seven A321XLRs by June 2026 and has ordered a total of 48 units, of which 20 will be allocated to international routes.

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