Aer Lingus, the national carrier of Ireland, just took delivery of two Airbus A321XLRs, the initial planes of six on order. That makes it only the second carrier, after Iberia Airlines, to operate the state-of-the-art design. The A321XLR is an evolution of the A320neo, in response to the need for increased range and paylods. In addition, it can fly on up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
The Airbus A321XLR: Range, efficiency and storage
The A321XLR is a single-aisle design with a range of 4,700 nautical miles. That’s a 15% increase compared to the A321LR, helping Aer Lingus fly to new destinations and serve existing transatlantic routes. Currently, the airline flies 18 routes from the Dublin Airport to the U.S.
Onboard, passengers will experience 60% more space for overhead bags, the newest inflight technology, and wider seats. A two-class configuration features 168 Economy Class seats and 16 full-flat Business Class seats. The A321XLR also burns 20% less fuel per seat than prior-generation aircraft.
Lynne Embleton, Chief Executive, Aer Lingus, said: The arrival of our two new Airbus A321XLRs mark a significant milestone for Aer Lingus. The long-range capabilities of the XLR enable us to travel deeper into North America, offering previously unserved markets greater connectivity to Europe through our Dublin hub. Both new XLR aircraft will operate on our newly announced routes to Nashville and Indianapolis for summer 2025. Looking ahead, we’re on target to expand our XLR fleet from two to six aircraft in 2025, further strengthening our position as a market leader in North American connectivity.”
Benoît de Saint Exupéry, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, added: “Aer Lingus becomes the latest operator of the world’s newest single-aisle aircraft: the A321XLR. It will truly revolutionise long-haul travel, allowing airlines to tap into new exciting city pairings as will be demonstrated by Aer Lingus. We stand alongside Aer Lingus and will together make its growing fleet of A321XLRs a resounding success operationally and with passengers.”
