Air Canada’s New Airbus XLR Opens New Routes, Offers New Levels of Comfort

New Planes. New routes. New opportunities for advisors to sell great trips.

Air Canada officially unveiled its Airbus A321XLR to the media in Toronto on 04JUN. It’s a game-changer for Canada’s largest airline, a sing[e-aisle, fuel-efficient plane that brings a wide-body experience, complete with 14 lie-flat seats in Air Canada’s Signature Class.

Air Canada has a firm order for 30 planes. Two are now in hand and three more should touch down in Canada by the end of the year. The airline hopes to have all 30 in hand by 2029.

The first flight with pax is scheduled for 09JUN from YUL to YYZ and then will fly between YUL and YYC. Flights to Europe from Montreal will follow soon after.

“This is the most advanced, most comfortable cabin we’ve ever built,” Executive VP and COO Mark Nasr told Open Jaw in a one-on-one interview aboard the plane at YYZ. And, yes, it does have that new plane smell.

‘“It sets the baseline for everything we’re doing, going forward, across our fleet,” Nasr said. “It’s also opening up new markets, and new timings, and new offerings that simply would not have been possible before.

“We can actually start operating routes that have never before been possible, and we’re going to find new markets.”

Air Canada has already announced flights from Montreal to Toulouse and Berlin, as well as to Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife in the Canary Islands. 

“That’s both sides of Spain, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic,” Nasr said with a smile.

There also will be flights from Toronto to Copenhagen, Roatan, Honduras and other locations.

The narrowbody plane has a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles and a capacity of 182 passengers; 14 in business and 168 in economy and premium economy. It also consumes 20% less fuel than its previous generation.

Officials said the A321XLR also will connect YVR and YYC to YYZ and YUL. Flights between Canada and SFO and LAX also are planned with the new craft, and officials have hinted at flights to North Africa and South America.

The first thing customers may notice when boarding the plane is the overhead light outside the cockpit, which has a warm, maple leaf motif.

 

BUSINESS BOOST

 

Turning right into the cabin, the seven-per-side Signature Class pods are particularly snazzy, with unique privacy screens between seats that can be lowered if you wish to chat with the person in front of or behind you.

Nasr said the XLR Signature Class features 19-inch, 4K in-flight entertainment that automatically dims at night so pax can sleep more easily.

 

 

“We also have a fast free new Internet system on board, so, really, the technology in the seat is second to none. 

“We also have a longer bed than our competition.”

Up front is great, but it’s the economy class seating that gets Nasr all fired up.

 

ECONOMY UPGRADE

 

“I am most proud of the economy work here, of the economy cabin,” he told Open Jaw. “I would say that this is the best physical product available in economy anywhere in the industry, including the Middle Eastern or Asian carriers. We have the industry’s very latest technology in terms of the entertainment systems (with 13-inch 4K entertainment screens), the charging capacity, we have seats with the latest in ergonomics. The comfort, the construction, the materials of these seats, are the most advanced available anywhere in the industry.
“So they’re much more durable and sturdy, and lighter, while still allowing us the space to put additional padding and make them more comfortable. It’s much more like a five-star hotel mattress you can think of. in terms of construction and quality, then, you know, a typical airline seat was in the past.”

Nasr said the XLR’s have some of the widest economy seats in the sky; more than 18 inches wide.

“We also maintained a standard of leg room of pitch, higher than the Canadian industry is offering, and globally competitive with the very best carriers.

Nasr also pointed out that there’s fast, free Wi Fi available to all Aeroplan members.

Looking down at his feet, Nasr explained that Air Canada’s A321XLR designers were able to do away with those annoying boxes on the floor that some airplane seats are known to have; obstructions that do a number on a customer’s leg room.

He also jumped out of his seat to open the overhead bins, explaining they’re the biggest in the industry; with enough room for five to six roller bags.

“We can now guarantee that every single customer can get a bag in the overhead bin with enough space for that. Plus space for personal items and coats and all that.”

The new plane has a device holder for tablets and phones that can be nestled in front of the TV screen. There’s also a dual-fold tray table, which allows customers to comfortably rest a drink on half of the table, while providing more leg room than a full table would allow.

Nasr then reached out to touch the armrest on his aisle seat.

“It’s odd I have to say this, but we also have seats that actually recline,” he says, pushing his seat back.

He briefly mentions “the competition’s” seat configuration but leaves it at that and moves on.

The XLR also has 36 Preferred+ seats with extended legroom.

 

 

Nasr doesn’t deny that Airbus production delays for the XLR have had an impact.

“It’s been an issue. It’s unfortunate. We’ve managed through it. To be perfectly candid, it’s led to us flying some older aircraft longer than we expected. And so there are flights out there where we have a product that does not meet the standard that we want to provide to our customers.

Still, he’s excited about what’s already in hand.
“The biggest deal, I’d say, with the new aircraft coming in is, it allows for growth, but it also allows us to do some retirements of older aircraft and really change the level of the experience” for customers.

Air Canada this week re-instated direct flights between Toronto and Shanghai. Open Jaw has a nice report on the inaugural flight.The airline also has started direct flights between Chicago O’Hare and Toronto City Centre/Billy Bishop Airport.

Air Canada’s Aeroplan has again been recognized as a leading travel loyalty program, earning three top honours at the 35th annual Freddie Awards in the Americas region: Program of the Year, Best Redemption Ability, and Best Promotion for its Accelerate Your Way to Status campaign. This marks Aeroplan’s fourth consecutive winning year at the Freddie Awards.

If you’re looking for great benefits in a credit card, you can earn 150,000 Aeroplan points with the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card. The card has an annual fee of $599 but offers tons of benefits, including access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges, Priority Airport services such as Air Canada Priority Check-In, Priority Boarding, and Priority Baggage Handling.

The current offer ends July 28, 2026.

BIG CHANGES AT FAIRMONT JASPER PARK LODGE, ALBERTA

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has announced the landmark opening of its reimagined resort with the unveiling of an extensive, $100 million CAD, property-wide transformation.

“This marks far more than a reopening, but the arrival of a new expression of wilderness luxury in the Canadian Rockies, brought to life through a refreshed Main Lodge and fully redesigned guest rooms. The extraordinary destination, set within 700 acres of pristine wilderness in Jasper National Park, offers a luxurious sense of space and seclusion that feels increasingly rare in today’s travel experiences,” officials said.

“With every cabin door opening directly to the expansive outdoors, the property offers unparalleled access to the remote landscape and a deeply personal experience with nature. Guests are invited to explore Jasper through a lens of deep connection, slow discovery, and immersive wellbeing, guided by Fairmont’s Wellness Without Wallsphilosophy that recognizes nature as a powerful approach to restoration.”

The lodge is hands down one of the most spectacular properties in Canada.