Air Canada unveils Montreal-Palma de Mallorca as first route for Airbus A321XLR

Air Canada has revealed Montreal to Palma de Mallorca as its first brand-new route to be operated by its Airbus A321 extra-long range (XLR) aircraft.

Delivery of the XLR fleet begins in the first quarter of 2026, and in June 2026, Air Canada will inaugurate service from Montreal to the Spanish island in the western Mediterranean onboard this new aircraft, reads a press release. Seats are available for sale.

“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,” said Mark Galardo, EVP & CCO, and president, Cargo at Air Canada. “This revolutionary narrow-body aircraft unlocks new, exciting global opportunities with its wide-body range and enhanced onboard product.”

The A321XLR is the first narrowbody in Air Canada’s fleet that will feature lie-flat seats in the Business Class cabin, bringing a wide-body experience on a narrow-body jet.

It will accommodate 182 passengers in a configuration of 14 Signature Class seats and 168 Economy Class seats.

Earlier this year, PAX had an opportunity to tour the new aircraft in Hamburg, the German headquarters of Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

As previously reported, the “X” marks “extra-long range” due to the new fuel tank which will hold 13,000 litres and allow an extra 15 per cent in mileage (8,700 kilometres) for this aircraft, making it the longest for any single-aisle airplane.

Previously, only wide-bodied aircraft were flying transatlantic routes, which will now be possible with the A321XLR.

“The XLR is giving us growth," said Alexandre Lefevre, VP, network planning, scheduling and strategy for Air Canada, in an interview with PAX at the time. “New destinations, or taking over existing routes that only wide-bodies could service.”

With its new A321XLR, Air Canada becomes the first Canadian airline to offer flights to Palma de Mallorca, which is renowned for its beaches, history and culture.

The aircraft will also usher in a new era of cabin interiors with the introduction of a new design standard for Air Canada’s onboard experience.

Air Canada will also transition existing routes to the A321XLR, including year-round flights between Montreal and Toulouse, connecting two francophone cities, and seasonal flights between Montreal and Edinburgh, resuming service in 2026.

As Air Canada takes delivery of additional A321XLR aircraft, the airline plans to add more routes from Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax, among other cities.

The flight schedule:

Air Canada is acquiring 30 Airbus A321XLR, with the first aircraft to be received in the first quarter of 2026 on lease from Air Lease. The airline is scheduled to receive up to an additional 10 A321XLRs in 2026.

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