Hamburg, Germany, 24 April 2026 – The first of 30 Airbus A321XLRs for Canada’s flag carrier Air Canada, has been delivered. The aircraft is on lease from SMBC Aviation Capital. The delivery marks a significant milestone in the airline’s fleet renewal strategy, enabling the carrier to bridge the gap between its narrowbody short-haul and widebody long-haul operations.
The delivery makes Air Canada the first operator of the A321XLR in Canada. The aircraft will play a pivotal role in the airline’s network expansion, operational efficiency gains on new and existing long-haul routes, as well as providing additional range and economics required to serve secondary markets with non-stop connectivity.
Powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, Air Canada’s A321XLR features a sophisticated two-cabin layout designed for maximum comfort on transcontinental and transatlantic flights. The premium cabin has 14 Air Canada Signature Class full-flat seats in a 1-1 configuration, offering every passenger direct aisle access, while there are 168 Economy cabin seats. (....)