Airbus has received the type certificate for the A321XLR powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the manufacturer announced on Friday.
The European approval is expected to be followed soon by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), paving the way for deliveries of the ultra-long-range narrow-body jet variant.
The A321XLR already displays its great versatility crossing the Atlantic in daily operations. With the certification and entry-into-service of the GTF-powered A321XLR we will see more operators introduce this game changing aircraft. It is also good news for our customers’ passengers who will benefit from the convenience of new direct city-to-city connections with a heightened level of cabin comfort,” said Christian Scherer, CEO of the Commercial Aviation division.
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The A321XLR was certified by EASA with CFM Leap-1A engines in July 2024 and the first aircraft was delivered by Airbus to Iberia at the end of October. Two more aircraft were received by Aer Lingus last December.
The PW GTF engines have been selected by customers including American Airlines, WizzAir and Qantas. The airlines are expected to be the first operators of the variant from April.
With a range of 4,700 nm (8,700 km), the A321XLR can carry up to 244 passengers and replace widebodies on many routes at a much lower operating cost.
Airbus claims to have more than 500 orders for the variant, but there have been no new aircraft announcements for months.
