Air Canada is expected to take delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR in the first quarter of 2026. With deliveries right around the corner, we now know what routes will see the new aircraft.
Air Canada Will Deploy the A321XLR on Transatlantic Routes
The Airbus A321XLR is an aircraft that will open many long and lean routes to air carriers, especially across the Atlantic. Air Canada has announced the first three routes that will see the A321XLR and one is a brand new destination for the carrier.
Beginning June 17, 2026, Air Canada will launch 4x weekly, seasonal, flights between Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI). This is Air Canada’s first service to the Spanish island and the first unlocked by the new aircraft.
The flights to and from Palma de Mallorca are already on sale and can be booked via Air Canada’s website. Flights will operate on the following schedule:
| Flight | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC 924 (YUL-PMI) | 6:45p | 8:25a (+1) | Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat. |
| AC 925 (PMI-YUL) | 12:15p | 3:10p | Tue., Thu., Sat., Sun. |
In addition to the Montreal-Palma route, Air Canada will also begin using the new aircraft on flights from Montreal to Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (TLS) and Edinburgh Airport (EDI) later this summer.
Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Cargo at Air Canada, said this about the new aircraft:
“The wait is nearly over as the imminent arrival of the game-changing Airbus A321XLR marks the next phase of international growth at Air Canada. This revolutionary narrow-body aircraft unlocks new, exciting global opportunities with its wide-body range and enhanced onboard product. Today, we begin that journey of growth with the announcement of Palma de Mallorca as the first new destination made possible by this fleet. By leveraging the unique capabilities of the A321XLR, Air Canada becomes the first Canadian airline to offer flights to this Spanish island, renowned for its stunning beaches, history and culture. We look forward to welcoming our customers aboard this exciting new aircraft, which will join our fleet in the coming months.”
Air Canada has 30 A321XLRs on Order
Air Canada currently has 30 A321XLRs on order. While these aircraft will primarily be used on Transatlantic routes, the carrier elected not to install many premium seats onboard. Business Class will have 14 lie-flat seats arranged in a 1-1 configuration while Economy will have 168 seats arranged in a 3-3 layout.
Narrowbody aircraft are less comfortable than their widebody counterparts so it is interesting to see Air Canada’s approach here. The carrier’s widebody aircraft deployed on transatlantic routes have a Premium Economy cabin. For whatever reason, the airline elected not to install them on this fleet.
Multiple airlines have ordered the A321XLR and I’m always interested to see how they get deployed. While I still prefer widebody aircraft to narrowbody aircraft, I am hopeful that these planes open up new routes for passengers.
Summary
Air Canada is preparing to take delivery of the Airbus A321XLR. The long range narrowbody aircraft is expected to unlock new routes for carriers and Air Canada is proving that to be true. The Canadian flag carrier will launch flights from Montreal to Palma de Mallorca using the new planes in June 2026.
(Images courtesy Air Canada)