Air Canada has marked the entry into scheduled service of its first Airbus A321XLR flight on 8 June with 182 passengers from Montréal to Toronto. The aircraft will operate several domestic flights prior to its first trans-Atlantic flight between Montréal and Toulouse on 15 June.
“The entry into service of the first Airbus A321XLR marks a transformative moment for Air Canada and the beginning of an exciting new era for our customers, industry partners, and colleagues,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Cargo at Air Canada. “For our premium customers, the A321XLR will offer the only lie-flat seats on a single-aisle aircraft for a Canadian carrier as it crosses the Atlantic and connects destinations across North America.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate this historic milestone alongside our long-standing partner Air Canada. As the first airline in Canada to operate the A321XLR, Air Canada is showcasing true leadership in fleet modernisation,” said Colin Bole, Senior Vice President Customers, North America, Airbus. “This aircraft is the perfect tool to support their network growth, seamlessly bridging the gap between short-haul and long-haul operations while delivering a 30% reduction in fuel burn per seat and the ability to operate with up to 50% neat Sustainable Aviation Fuel.”
New Global Hearted cabin
Air Canada’s new Global Hearted cabin standard is making its debut on the A321XLR, offering calm, comfort and connectivity to customers. It features personal device power at every seat, fast, free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan Members sponsored by Bell, next-generation in-flight entertainment screens that are larger and offer Bluetooth connectivity, and thoughtfully curated cabin finishes inspired by the Canadian landscape and aligned to the airline’s brand and commitment to enduring quality.
In addition to the 14 lie-flat seats in Air Canada Signature Class, the A321XLR has 168 Economy class seats, with every seat featuring seatback in-flight entertainment with 4K OLED IFE screens (13-inch in Economy, 19-inch in Signature Class) with Bluetooth audio.
Fleet modernisation
Air Canada plans to integrate the A321XLR into its schedule progressively to support growth across its network. The aircraft’s performance and range characteristics are well suited to adjust for seasonal demand patterns and evolving market opportunities.
The arrival of the A321XLR is an important milestone and the latest step in Air Canada’s multi-year fleet modernisation programme, which is focused on customer experience, operational resilience and fuel efficiency improvements versus older-generation aircraft.
In addition to 30 A321XLRs (15 will be leased, 15 are being acquired directly from Airbus S.A.S) that are expected to enter the fleet over the coming years, Air Canada has announced orders for 14 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners as well as eight A350-1000s. It also continues to take deliveries of the Canadian-built Airbus A220, with 21 aircraft remaining on its firm order of 65. Five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have already been delivered in 2026.
