United executive said the new Airbus A321XLR will replace Boeing 757 routes and open new ones

27.08.2024 - 17:53 / insider.com / Patrick Quayle / United Airlines

Dozens of global carriers have secured more than 550 orders for Airbus' newest narrowbody plane, the Airbus A321XLR, since its 2019 launch.

The jet is poised to be a long-haul workhorse, connecting lower-demand markets that would be otherwise inefficient with a widebody. Thanks to its extra fuel tank, the A321XLR can fly up to 5,400 miles (11 hours) nonstop. That compares to the 4,600-mile range of its Airbus A321LR predecessor.

United has purchased 50 of the A321XLR jets to replace its aging Boeing 757 planes. According to the airline, it has 61 Boeing 757 planes, with an average age of about 24 years.

United's SVP of global network planning and alliances, Patrick Quayle, told Business Insider on Wednesday its A321XLR will take over virtually all of the 757's existing routes and open new ones. Its first A321XLR is expected to be deliveredin December 2025.

"We use the 757 to fly to smaller markets like Tenerife, Spain, and Reykjavik," he said, adding a Boeing 767 or a Boeing 787 wouldn't make sense on these thinner-demand routes. "The 757 is getting a bit uneconomic, but we want to continue flying to these cities, and the A321XLR is longer-ranged and has much better fuel burn and maintenance costs."

A company spokesperson told BI the A321XLR's network will be largely international flying. She said the only domestic route for which United consistently flies the 757 is Denver to Lihue, Hawaii, and, although subject to change, the company does not expect to swap that with the XLR. She added that the Newark, New Jersey, to Lima service is still being decided.

This means customers can expect the A321XLR to fly existing 757 routes to places like Faro and Porto in Portugal Malaga, Spain, Edinburgh, Scotland, and Shannon, Ireland.

Quayle said United also plans to fly to places previously unreachable with a narrowbody jet, like France, Northern Italy, Scandinavia, West Africa, and North Africa.

"You can't really get further than Spain with a 757," Quayle said. "The A321XLR can fly much further and will open new stations that either don't have service from an airline today, or they don't have United Airlines service."

The A321XLR has secured certification from European safety authorities but is still awaiting certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, though Airbus said in July that it's "approaching the finish line."

Related stories

Spanish flag carrier Iberia is the launch customer and is expected to receive the first A321XLR in November. This launch flight is scheduled to fly from Madrid to Boston.

The new jet burns 30% less fuel than previous-generation narrowbodies and can hold up to 220 passengers in two classes, making it a perfect jet for airlines beyond United looking to serve more niche