A couple of weeks after Iberia confirmed it would be the first airline to operate the A321XLR worldwide, the first long-haul flights with this aircraft are now available this Thursday (13), which, due to its performance, will change the rules in many markets.
The first transatlantic flight of the A321XLR will be on November 14 between Madrid and Boston, departing from the Spanish capital at 12:35 to arrive at 15:00 after 8 hours and 25 minutes.
According to Aeroroutes, the A321XLR will replace the A330s on three of the four weekly flights that Iberia operates between Madrid and Boston, and from December 15, it will do so on seven flights per week.
Additionally, on January 15, 2025, the A321XLR will debut on the Madrid – Washington DC route, operating six flights per week.
The aircraft will depart from Barajas Airport as IB361 at 13:00 to arrive in Washington DC at 16:20 after 9 hours and 20 minutes. The return flight as IB362 will be at 17:50, arriving in Madrid at 7:35 the following day. The flight operates every day except Saturdays.
Iberia’s A321XLRs will have 14 lie-flat seats with 18-inch individual screens in Business to offer the same premium experience as on wide-body aircraft. In Economy, there will be 168 seats of the Recaro CL3810 model, allowing for a four-inch recline. All cabins will have improved USB type A and C charging ports, and the seat tables are designed for passengers to place their electronic devices comfortably to access onboard entertainment via Wi-Fi.
Iberia will receive the first A321XLR after the summer, with another seven joining in the following months. This aircraft, equipped with additional auxiliary tanks, has the capacity to perform flights of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers). To take advantage of this greater fuel capacity, the maximum takeoff weight of the A321XLR has been increased to 101 tons, compared to the 97 tons of its predecessor, the A321LR. Additionally, the landing gear has been reinforced.
In April, during an event, Marco Sansavini, CEO of Iberia, highlighted the advantages of reaching destinations in Canada, such as Montreal or Toronto, which are currently not served by Iberia. There was also speculation about establishing non-stop flights to northeastern Brazil, such as Fortaleza, Recife, or Salvador, where TAP Air Portugal already flies with the A321LR, a version with a range 1,300 kilometers shorter than the XLR.
Airbus has already accumulated around 600 orders for the A321XLR from airlines such as United, American Airlines, JetSMART, SKY, Iberia, and LATAM, among others.
The IAG group, which includes Iberia, has 16 A321XLRs on order, which will be shared between the Spanish airline and Aer Lingus.
