The carrier took delivery of its first A321XLR in late April.
Air Canada has operated its first commercial flight with its long-awaited new Airbus A321XLR, flying domestically from Montreal to Toronto ahead of the carrier’s first transatlantic service with the type from Montreal to Toulouse on 15 June.
The airline, which took delivery of the long-range narrowbody in late April after years of delays, says it will operate “several domestic flights” with the aircraft before deploying it on the transatlantic Montreal-Toulouse route in mid-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,” states Air Canada chief commercial officer Mark Galardo.
The aircraft is the first of 30 A321XLRs ordered by the carrier – half of which are leased and half of which are coming directly from Airbus. The jets will all be powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G geared turbofans.
Air Canada says it will “integrate the A321XLR into its schedule progressively to support growth across its network”.
Air Canada first ordered the A321XLR in March 2022 and had originally expected to receive the first aircraft in the initial quarter of 2024. This was later updated to the fourth quarter of 2025, but the initial jet did not arrive until April 2026.
The XLRs are part of a wider fleet renewal plan that will see Air Canada add 14 Boeing 787-10s and eight Airbus A350-1000s. It is also in the process of adding 65 Airbus A220s and has taken delivery of five Boeing 737 Max jets this year.
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