Airbus is preparing to drastically lower the price of long-haul airline tickets thanks to its new A321 XLR. The single-aisle aircraft, which is similar to a medium-haul jet, can cover a radius of 8,400 kilometers and therefore connect several continents. With a lighter weight than wide-body aircraft, and a more limited capacity than an A330 or A350 family aircraft, airlines operating the aircraft can launch new routes that were previously unthinkable economically (like the A220 for shorter-haul flights).
Wizz Air has ordered 47 A321 XLRs
Wizz Air is the first low-cost airline to benefit from the aircraft. Its first Airbus A321 XLR was delivered to it on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Hamburg, Germany, where its assembly lines are located (they will soon be in operation in Toulouse as well). Wizz Air is an airline based in Budapest, Hungary, and is continuing its rapid expansion across Europe, with flights to and from Central and Eastern Europe. In total, the airline has ordered 47 A321 XLRs.
The first airline to take delivery of Airbus's most efficient aircraft was Iberia, which made its first flight last fall. There was, however, one major difference between Iberia's version and Wizz Air's version today. This concerns the engines, since Airbus equipped Wizz Air's first A321 XLR with engines from the American company Pratt & Whitney. This is the GTF turbofan, which also powers the A320neo. Previous A321 XLRs delivered, including the one to Iberia, are equipped with LEAP-1As from the Franco-American joint venture CFM International (GE Aerospace and Safran).
Wizz Air has indicated that it intends to take advantage of its new aircraft to connect the Middle East with a larger capacity of 239 seats in a single-class configuration. In total, the airline has 230 aircraft, all Airbus-branded, from the A320 family (mainly A321neo). The fleet is particularly new, even if Wizz Air does not intend to stop there and already has 295 other aircraft orders from the European aircraft manufacturer.
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