Icelandair Takes Delivery of First-Ever Airbus

The long-time Boeing operator has four leased A321LRs on order along with 13 longer-range A321XLRs set for delivery in 2029.

Icelandair's first Airbus aircraft (Photo: Icelandair)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

Icelandair received its first Airbus A321LR aircraft as part of the airline’s fleet modernization plans. The long-time Boeing operator has four leased A321LRs on order along with 13 longer-range A321XLRs.

The carrier’s first Airbus jet – registered as TF-IAA – ferried from the manufacturer’s Hamburg facility to Icelandair’s Reykjavík hub on Tuesday morning. Powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, the new aircraft will be configured with 22 business class seats and 165 in economy.

Flights with the new aircraft are slated to begin on Dec. 10 between Reykjavik, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. Next month, Icelandair’s A321LR will regularly serve Amsterdam, London Heathrow, and Oslo.

Icelandair’s first A321LR (Photo: Icelandair)

By May 2025, the airline will stretch the A321LR’s legs with flights to Seattle.

The airline first ordered the Airbus jets last year with plans to phase-out some of its aging Boeing 757s. According to Airbus, Icelandair’s first A321XLR is expected in 2029.

According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, Icelandair’s active fleet includes 21 Boeing 737 MAXs, 13 Boeing 757s, and four Boeing 767s. The carrier also utilizes six Dash 8 turboprop aircraft.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
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