Aer Lingus Receives First 2 New Airbus A321XLRs Headed For Nashville & Indianapolis Next Year

Aer Lingus has officially taken delivery of its first two Airbus A321XLR aircraft during a landmark day for the Irish carrier. Initially earmarked as the world’s first A321XLR operator, a pilot pay dispute would pass this milestone to fellow IAG Group carrier Iberia, which took delivery of the first A321XLR airframe in October.

Aer Lingus receives its first A321XLRs

Registered as EI-XLR and EI-XLT, the two extra-long-range narrowbodies are the first of six airframes scheduled to arrive at the Irish carrier. EI-XLR – which has been given the name St Lelia / Liadhain – flew into the airline’s Dublin Airport (DUB) base on December 18th after departing from Airbus’ production facility at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW). It was followed by EI-XLT, named St Melanie / Mella, which touched down in Dublin later that day.

Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton commented,

“The arrival of our two new Airbus A321XLRs mark a significant milestone for Aer Lingus. The long-range capabilities of the XLR enable us to travel deeper into North America, offering previously unserved markets greater connectivity to Europe through our Dublin hub.”

The Irish carrier expects to receive another four aircraft by the end of 2025, significantly expanding the reach of its North American network. Benoît de Saint Exupéry, Chief Commercial Officer at Airbus, praised the A321XLR’s ability to “revolutionize long-haul travel” by allowing operators to deploy the aircraft on new city pairings previously unreachable with current narrowbodies.

Its operating economics are also excellent, delivering up to 30% lower fuel burn per seat. Iberia became the world’s first airline to take delivery of the XLR back in October before launching the type’s first-ever revenue flight a few weeks later.

Nashville and Indianapolis A321XLR flights next year

With a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km) – which is 15% more than the A321LR – the A321XLR will allow Aer Lingus to expand its network beyond the US East Coast and Canada.

Aer Lingus’ new A321XLRs will serve its new routes to Nashville (BNA) and Indianapolis (IND) launching next summer season. Its Dublin-Nashville route will commence on April 12th and operate four times weekly, while its Indianapolis service will launch on May 3rd also with four weekly frequencies.

Onboard the A321XLR

Aer Lingus’ new aircraft can seat up to 184 passengers in two cabin classes, featuring 16 lie-flat seats in business class and 168 economy seats. Its Airspace Cabin – the widest single-aisle cabin on the market – will significantly enhance the onboard experience, including wider seats and 60% more overhead bin space.

Carriers are clearly excited about the potential of the XLR, with Airbus having received over 550 orders for the aircraft and counting. The biggest order came from IndiGo which has committed to 69 airframes, followed by American Airlines and United Airlines which have both placed orders for 50 aircraft.

Capable of carrying up to 244 passengers, the XLR’s game-changing range was achieved by installing a rear-center cargo fuel tank capable of holding an additional 12,900 liters of fuel. As a result, it will now be able to fly nonstop for over nine hours, creating all kinds of network opportunities for operators.