dailynewsnblog
Air Canada has reached an exciting milestone in terms of the development of its forthcoming fleet of Airbus A321XLR narrowbody twinjets, with the Canadian flag carrier’s first example of the type having taken to the skies for the first time earlier today. The jet took off from the manufacturer’s site at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW) in northern Germany, and it was in the air for more than three hours as test pilots put it through its paces.
Today’s maiden test flight followed the jet being spotted undertaking rejected takeoff tests, with these procedures also playing a key role in getting any brand-new aircraft ready for delivery. Air Canada initially plans to introduce the Airbus A321XLR on a selection of domestic and transborder routes, before rolling the type out on long-haul corridors to Europe. This will allow it to penetrate previously untapped secondary European markets.
More Than Three Hours In The Air
According to Aviation Flights, Air Canada’s first example of the Airbus A321XLR will eventually be registered as C-GXLR, but currently bears the German Airbus test registration D-AVZG. Yesterday, the site highlighted the fact that the jet, as seen below, had undergone a taxi check and rejected takeoff test in Hamburg, following an engine run and taxi check two days prior. Now, as seen in the map above, it has flown for the first time.
Tracking data made available by Flightradar24 shows that the next-generation narrowbody took to the skies over northern Germany at 10:57 am local time, touching back down in Hamburg around three hours and 20 minutes later. The aircraft initially cruised at 31,000 feet, before increasing its altitude to a maximum of 39,000 feet above mean sea level. The milestone is an exciting one for Air Canada, which said about the A321XLR in October that:
“We’re going to be able to, first and foremost, fly new international markets and maintain a presence year-round when demand is not sufficient to operate the route profitably with a larger aircraft.”
Where Will Air Canada Fly The Airbus A321XLR?
As alluded to in the previous quote, Air Canada’s primary aim with the Airbus A321XLR is to tap into long-haul markets that its existing fleet of widebody twinjets would not be able to serve on a sustainable basis. Last September, it announced Palma de Mallorca (PMI) as the type’s first long-haul destination.
As pictured above, soon after that, Air Canada revealed that it would also use the type to serve Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), and Toulouse (TLS) from its hub at Montréal Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and, since then, it has continued to add routes in earnest. Now, 12 corridors are slated for A321XLR service. Of these, nine will serve European destinations, while the other three are closer to home, and will be used as a proving ground.
With new aircraft, it is often the case that they are first deployed on domestic or short-haul routes to get up to speed, and Aero Routes notes that, for Air Canada, the A321XLR will make its bow on May 1 with a flight from Montréal to Calgary (YYC). August 1 will then see the type added on the domestic route from Montréal to Vancouver (YVR), while its US debut will take place in the form of the Montréal to Los Angeles (LAX) route in October.
Air Canada To Begin First-Ever Airbus A321XLR Flights To London In 2026
The start-of-the-art XLR is down to operate from Toronto, becoming the carrier’s first flight on the variant outside Montreal.
Air Canada’s Airbus A321XLR Fleet In A Nutshell
According to present fleet data made available by ch-aviation, Air Canada has a grand total of 30 units of the Airbus A321XLR in its outstanding order book. D-AVZG/C-GXLR is set to be the first of these next-generation narrowbody twinjets to join the Canadian flag carrier and Star Alliance founding member, and Simple Flying was lucky enough to visit Airbus’s facilities in Hamburg last May for an exclusive look at the aircraft during its build.
As far as the configuration of these modern single-aisle airliners is concerned, One Mile At A Time reported in September of 2025 that Air Canada plans to fit them with a grand total of 182 seats. Of these, 14 will be business class flatbeds in a 1-1 configuration, while the jet’s 168 seats in the economy class cabin will be laid out in the standard 3-3 setup. Regardless of cabin type, all of the 182 seats will feature seatback IFE screens.
