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Qantas orders more Airbus A321XLRs as part of major fleet renewal

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Qantas orders more Airbus A321XLRs as part of major fleet renewal
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Airline Ratings | Airline Ratings

Qantas has announced an order for 20 additional Airbus A321XLR aircraft as part of its ongoing fleet renewal program. The new planes will replace the airline’s aging Boeing 737-800s, which currently number 76 and have an average age of over 17 years.

Sixteen of the new A321XLRs will be equipped with lie-flat Business seats and seat back entertainment screens to serve longer domestic routes, such as transcontinental flights to and from Perth, as well as short and medium haul international services. In Economy class, passengers can expect wider seats with enhanced cushioning, adjustable headrests, dual USB charging ports, a drop-down tablet holder, and access to fast, free Wi-Fi.

The A321XLR offers a range of up to 8,700 kilometres—over 3,000 kilometres more than the Boeing 737-800—which will allow Qantas to introduce direct flights to destinations in South East Asia and the Pacific Islands that were previously not feasible. The aircraft’s fuel efficiency and increased payload are expected to support this expanded network.

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Qantas plans to begin commercial operations with its first two A321XLRs in mid-September. These initial aircraft will operate on Sydney-Melbourne and Sydney-Perth routes before being deployed elsewhere. By the end of the financial year, Qantas expects to have seven A321XLRs in service.

Qantas Group CEO 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 lie-flat Business seats, seat back screens and fast 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.”

With this latest order, Qantas Group now has firm orders for 214 aircraft across its brands—including Qantas mainline, Jetstar, and Qantas Freight—with flexibility for further expansion through purchase rights with both Airbus and Boeing. The airline received 17 new aircraft in FY25; it expects deliveries of 20 more this financial year and another 29 in FY27.

The company also confirmed that its first Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000ULR is scheduled for final assembly starting October this year, with deliveries beginning from October 2026.

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