Air Canada’s first Airbus A321XLR commercial flight takes off

Air Canada has officially entered its “Glowing Hearted” era.

The airline launched scheduled service of its first Airbus A321XLR on Tuesday (June 9).

The 182 passengers onboard AC413 from Montreal to Toronto experienced the start of a whole new chapter in how, and where, Air Canada customers can fly.

“Air Canada is building one of the most capable fleets in the industry. The entry into service of the first Airbus A321XLR marks a transformative moment for Air Canada and the beginning of an exciting new era for our customers, industry partners, and colleagues,” said Mark Galardo, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, and president of Cargo at Air Canada, in a press release.

“Today, we celebrate an aircraft that will unlock new destinations, improve service on existing markets, and enhance the onboard experience. For our premium customers, the A321XLR will offer the only lie-flat seats on a single-aisle aircraft for a Canadian carrier as it crosses the Atlantic and connects destinations across North America.”

READ MORE: “Glowing Hearted" & new markets: Air Canada previews new Airbus A321XLR in Toronto

The aircraft is also the “perfect tool” to support network growth, bridging the gap between short-haul and long-haul operations while delivering a 30 per cent reduction in fuel burn per seat and the ability to operate with up to 50 per cent neat Sustainable Aviation Fuel, said Colin Bole, senior vice president customers, North America, at Airbus. 

“We are proud to see our next-generation technology support Air Canada’s ambitions and operate on both new and already-existing non-stop transatlantic markets like Montréal to Toulouse in a more sustainable way,” he said.

Glowing Hearted cabin standard

Air Canada’s new Glowing Hearted cabin standard is making its debut on the A321XLR.

It features personal device power at every seat, fast, free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan Members sponsored by Bell, next-generation in-flight entertainment screens that are larger and offer Bluetooth connectivity, and cabin finishes inspired by the Canadian landscape.

To the 14 lie-flat seats in Air Canada Signature Class, the A321XLR has 168 Economy class seats, with every seat featuring seatback in-flight entertainment with 4K OLED IFE screens (13-inch in Economy, 19-inch in Signature Class) with Bluetooth audio.

The aircraft will operate several domestic flights prior to its first trans-Atlantic flight between Montreal and Toulouse on June 15.

Air Canada plans to integrate the A321XLR into its schedule progressively to support growth across its network.

The aircraft’s performance and range characteristics are well suited to adjust for seasonal demand patterns and evolving market opportunities, the airline says.

The arrival of the A321XLR is part of Air Canada’s multi-year fleet modernization program, which is focused on customer experience, operational resilience and fuel efficiency improvements versus older-generation aircraft.

In addition to 30 A321XLRs (15 will be leased, 15 are being acquired directly from Airbus S.A.S) that are expected to enter the fleet over the coming years, Air Canada has announced orders for 14 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners as well as eight A350-1000s.

It also continues to take deliveries of the Canadian-built Airbus A220, with 21 aircraft remaining on its firm order of 65.

Five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have already been delivered in 2026.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.