Source: Air Canada

Air Canada’s network planning team has been eagerly anticipating the arrival into its fleet of the airline’s first Airbus A321XLR, which will bring with it opportunities to open new markets.

“For years, the team has been poring over data to determine the best way to deploy this game-changing aircraft. And now, with first delivery on the horizon, it is no longer just a paper exercise. Next year we going to finally get our hands on that new aircraft. And it’s going to open up a range of new possibilities, new routes, new markets for Air Canada. We’re really excited and it’s a big deal for us that will herald a new era of international growth for Air Canada,” said Alexandre Lefevre, Vice President, Network Planning – North America and Scheduling at Air Canada.

“We’re going to see them starting in 2026 and, as any new aircraft, we’re going to have some testing and certification going on in the early months of 2026. But you can expect them to be in full commercial service by next summer.”

Last month, Air Canada announced the first new route that the A321XLR will allow it to open, marking the start of its new era of growth. Palma de Mallorca, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean, will join Air Canada’s network in June 2026. The A321XLR will also be seen on routes like Toulouse, Dublin and Edinburgh, all out of Montréal, next summer.

There are many factors that go into determining where an airline flies and which aircraft to use. At the end of the day, it requires a delicate balancing of range, demand and economics.

“When you look at opening new routes, you need to look at the economics. When you’ve got a tool like the A321XLR that’s completely different from the tools you’ve got in your toolbox today, that opens up new markets that today you cannot viably and profitably open,” Lefevre said.

“The A321XLR will be used to replace some older aircraft, but our strategy is to use it for growth, especially international growth. With the size, range and the capabilities of this aircraft, we’re going to be able to, first and foremost, fly new international markets and maintain a presence year-round when demand is not sufficient to operate the route profitably with a larger aircraft.”

While the A321XLR will be used to develop new international markets or maintain them in the shoulder season, Canadian travellers flying domestically or within North America will also be able to enjoy the modern new aircraft and its new interior.

“For us, the A321XLR is not a single trick aircraft. It’s a very versatile machine that can go international, but it can also operate a domestic transcontinental route. So you’re going to have this experience of lie-flat seats on a narrowbody between Toronto, Montreal and the west coast of, of Canada, for example,” Lefevre added.

Some of the advantages of the A321XLR are a longer range thanks to the larger fuel tank and an all-new cabin, including the larger overhead XL bins from Airbus.

“This also allows us to be more efficient by having faster turnaround times and getting the aircraft back in the air, because it’s meant to fly, not to be on the ground. A faster, more efficient boarding process will improve the customer experience and ensure on-time departures.”

The A321XLR will be the launch platform for many of the new features that customers will see across the Air Canada fleet. It’s going to come with a new look and feel in the cabin, and that is something that will be rolled out across the entire Air Canada fleet.