U.S. airlines are preparing to receive their inaugural Airbus A321XLRs, following the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent certification of the 4,700nm (8,704km) range aircraft, which is equipped with CFM International Leap-1A turbofans.
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways both anticipate taking delivery of their first A321XLRs in 2025. JetBlue has provided more specific details, projecting the arrival of its initial aircraft in the autumn of 2025 and aiming to conclude the year with two jets in its fleet.
United Airlines, on the other hand, expects its first A321XLR delivery in early 2026, with plans to utilize these aircraft to replace its fleet of Boeing 757s.
Currently, these three airlines are the only U.S. carriers with orders for the long-range Airbus narrowbody. Airbus has marketed the A321XLR as a versatile middle-market jet capable of efficiently servicing long-range routes connecting secondary cities—a role previously targeted by Boeing with its now-discontinued 757 model.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted certification for the Leap-1A powered A321XLR in July, with the FAA following suit in October. The aircraft commenced operations on October 14, when Iberia operated an A321XLR on a route from Madrid to Boston.
Airbus is actively pursuing certification from both EASA and FAA for the A321XLR powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G geared turbofan (GTF). According to Airbus, the testing program is advancing well, aiming for the completion of flight tests and submission of certification documents to EASA by the first quarter of 2025.
Although both American Airlines and JetBlue plan to receive A321XLRs in 2025, it remains uncertain which airline will be the first to operate the aircraft, as Airbus has opted not to comment on the matter.
American Airlines has placed orders for 50 A321XLRs with Leap-1A engines, while United Airlines has similarly ordered 50 units, though these will be equipped with PW1100Gs. JetBlue has ordered 14 A321XLRs powered by PW1100Gs, as per airline data provider Cirium Diio.
Article has been taken from flightglobal.com: https://www.flightglobal.com/fleets/us-carriers-expect-to-receive-first-a321xlrs-next-year-as-certifications-progress/161110.article
