Qantas brought its first two Airbus A321XLR aircraft into revenue service this week, making the Australian flag carrier the first in the Asia-Pacific region to operate the type.
The two airplanes, dubbed “Great Ocean Road” (VH-OGA) and “Outback Way” (VH-OGB), operated their inaugural flights on Thursday, with Great Ocean Road flying between Sydney and Melbourne and Outback Way flying between Sydney and Perth.
“Investing in next-generation aircraft is the most significant way we can elevate the travel experience for our customers and our people,” Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a statement. “The extended flight range enables us to operate these aircraft on both domestic and short-haul international routes, including destinations across South East Asia that are not viable with our current narrowbody fleet.”
As more A321XLRs arrive, they will take over certain existing domestic and international routes, Hudson added, while supporting the launch of new ones.
Qantas is using the A321XLR to replace the Boeing 737. The new aircraft uses less fuel per seat than the 737, airline leaders said, and offers wider seats, higher ceilings, larger windows, and space for 60% more bags.
Qantas in August increased its order of A321XLRs by 20 aircraft, bringing its total commitment to 48. Some of the new jets will have lie-flat business-class seats to accommodate longer flight times on planned transcontinental routes to and from Perth.
Qantas’ third A321XLR is expected to arrive in November. The fleet will grow to seven by June 2026.
