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Business

A new plane is changing the way airlines operate long-haul flights. Here you can fly with the Airbus A321XLR.

September 1, 2026 5 min read 41 views
A new plane is changing the way airlines operate long-haul flights. Here you can fly with the Airbus A321XLR.

Guetst touring a United Airlines Airbus A321XLR at an August unveiling event. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The world’s newest aircraft has changed the game by opening new routes to dozens of international destinations.

The Airbus A321XLR is a single-aisle aircraft, but can fly 1,300 kilometers further than the Airbus A321neo.

This allows airlines to fly it across the Atlantic Ocean to cities that wouldn’t be popular enough to fill a widebody aircraft. Most XLRs also have recliners in business class to make longer journeys comfortable.

Furthermore, as part of the Airbus A320 familyThe world’s most popular aircraft type, which pilots and flight attendants can easily adapt to. It has very similar controls to the standard A320, with only a few changes to the systems related to long-haul flights and an additional fuel tank.

That’s ideal for airlines because it means their pilots only need a short training to fly it, rather than an entirely new type rating.

Last week, United Airlines And US airlines unveiled a combined nine new international routes using the XLR. These will start next year, but tickets can be booked now.

In addition to collecting airline announcements, Business Insider tracked 32 XLRs on Flightradar24 to see where they flew this month.

While six are still in service Wizz Airthe airline has been excluded from this list because it has changed its strategy and now uses it on the same routes as typical narrow-body aircraft.

The Airbus A321XLR has opened routes to dozens of new cities, mainly between Europe and North America.

Not pictured here are another seven transcontinental or cross-country routes in the US, Canada and Australia.

Try this interactive map for the routes closest to you.

Hover over each icon to see the available destinations from different cities around the world.

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus received its first XLR in December 2024.

Thanks to Aer Lingus

The Irish national airline was the second airline to fly the XLR. All six of those Aer Lingus ordered have been delivered.

From Dublin it flies to Cleveland, Hartford, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York JFK, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and Washington, DC.

In addition to these nine routes, Aer Lingus sometimes uses the XLR for short-haul flights across Europe. This allows the airline to get the most out of them, use them extensively while showcasing their versatility.

Air Canada

Air Canada flies its XLRs to Europe and Calgary.

Thanks to Air Canada

Canada’s national airline started flying the XLR in June. Three of the thirty units ordered are currently in operation.

They fly from Montreal to Calgary and Berlin, although the seasonal service to Berlin will end earlier, on September 5, instead of in October. Air Canada also flies the aircraft to the French cities of Nantes and Toulouse; Airbus has its headquarters in the latter.

US airlines

Business class on an American Airlines Airbus A321XLR.

Courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines is one of two US airlines on this list, but was the first to start using the XLR last December.

40 have been ordered, and seven of them are flying today.

From September 2026, it will fly from New York JFK to Edinburgh and Los Angeles, and between Boston and Los Angeles.

However, at the end of August, American Airlines announced four new XLR routes for 2027, which can be booked now:

  • JFK to Amsterdam, starting March 28
  • Philadelphia to Porto, Portugal, begins March 28
  • JFK to Nice, France, begins May 6
  • From Philadelphia to Vienna, starting May 6

Iberia

Iberia staff took a selfie in front of the first Airbus A321XLR in November 2024.

Gustavo Valiente/Europa Press via Getty Images

The Spanish flag carrier was the first airline to receive an XLR and started flying it in November 2024. All eight that Iberia ordered have now been delivered.

From Madrid it flies to Boston, the Dominican Republic, Newark, Puerto Rico, Toronto, Washington DC and the Brazilian cities of Recife and Fortaleza.

Like Aer Lingus, Iberia occasionally uses its A321XLRs on short hops throughout Europe.

Qantas

Qantas unveiled its XLR business class design last Wednesday.

Thanks to Qantas

The Australian airline operates seven XLRs and has a further 41 on order.

Currently they are used for flights between Australia’s major cities, which could be operated by a regular narrowbody jet.

It plans to use the

The first of 16 suites with new business class suites is scheduled for 2028.

United Airlines

A Polaris suite on a United Airlines Airbus A321XLR.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

United Airlines, as things stand, will be the largest operator of the XLR: it has ordered 50 of them.

However, only one has been delivered so far. After Business Insider visited the plane at the Farnborough Airshow in July, it flew a few times, mainly around the US.

United will launch the XLR in earnest on December 1, when it will fly from Washington Dulles Airport to Amsterdam and Dublin.

Last week it also announced a handful of new routes for 2027 that are open for booking:

  • Newark to Luxembourg, starting April 2
  • Washington, DC, to Toulouse, begins April 26
  • Newark to Ibiza, Spain, begins May 31
  • Newark to Valencia, Spain, begins June 2
  • Newark to Marseilles, France, begins June 4

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NY Breaking News Technology Desk

Technology Reporter

The NY Breaking News Technology Desk covers technology and digital-policy developments with clear source attribution. For corrections or editorial questions, contact editor@nybreaking.com.

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