Review: What to Expect Onboard Qantas’ New Airbus A321XLR
Qantas has officially entered a new era with the first of its brand-new Airbus A321XLR fleet taking to the skies on a round trip from Sydney to Melbourne. The flight is a milestone in the airline’s plan to phase out the current Boeing 737s on domestic routes and we will see 48 new aircraft touching down over the next three years. So, what can we expect from the new A321XLRs? One of our in-house travel writers went onboard to find out.
What’s different about the Qantas Airbus A321XLR?
The most notable upgrade on the Airbus A321XLR is the extra space. Overhead lockers are much deeper, with capacity for about 60 per cent more luggage storage than on the Boeing 737s. There’s room to store a small carry-on suitcase and tote bag. Both Business and Economy cabins feel roomier than before. Windows are larger than in the former domestic fleets, flooding the plane’s interior with natural light, while ceilings are higher than the standard aircraft and softly illuminated by ambient LED lighting.
In Business, seats are upholstered in a chocolate-coloured leather and armrests feature a small cocktail table, while the Economy cabin’s woven-fabric seats have added cushioning and six-way adjustable leather headrests. You’ll also find USB-A and USB-C charging ports, as well as coat hooks built into the seat backs in both cabins.
It’s no coincidence that cabins seem quiet: the A321XLR has been engineered to reduce noise by up to 50 per cent – welcome news for travellers hoping to catch up on rest inflight.
Okay, so it feels bigger inside. What are the specs for Qantas’s Airbus A321XLR?
The new Airbus is five metres longer than the 737, stretching 44.51 metres from nose to tail, with a wingspan of 35.80 metres. It can accommodate 197 passengers – a 13 per cent increase in capacity – though there’s still plenty of room onboard. The space between seats has not been reduced and the number of premium seats has increased by66 per cent.
Does the new Airbus A321XLR have wi-fi?
Free wi-fi is available onboard. The Qantas Entertainment app has also had a refresh and, while there are no in-built screens for entertainment on the first two aircrafts, a clever new drop-down device holder with anti-slip mat on the seat back offers the ideal hands-free platform for watching films.
Great. Where can I fly with the new Airbus A321XLR?
The new plane will predominantly service domestic routes but it’s worth noting that the A321XLR has the longest range of any narrow-body aircraft – 8700 kilometres or up to 11 hours of nonstop flying. That’s about 3000 kilometres further than the 737-800, opening up future possibilities for flights to nearby Pacific Islands and South-East Asia.
The first two A321XLRs – named Great Ocean Road and Outback Way – will initially fly between Sydney and Melbourne and Sydney and Perth respectively, with more destinations to be announced soon.
Any other exciting upgrades coming?
The Great Ocean Road (VH-OGA) was commissioned as part of Project Winton, the airline’s commitment to renewing a significant portion of the current domestic fleet over the next three years. During the rollout, plane amenities will only continue to improve. An additional 20 of the 48 new Airbus A321XLRs are on order and from 2028, Qantas will introduce lie-flat Business seats – the first ever on a narrow-body aircraft.
Anything else I should know?
Alongside Qantas’s investment in lower-carbon Sustainable Aviation Fuel, the A321XLR has been designed using lightweight materials and new technology to help minimise fuel burn, reducing emissions by up to 30 per cent.
