Nervous fliers tend to prefer larger aircraft, so they may not rejoice at the news that Air Canada will launch a nonstop service from Montreal to the Spanish island of Mallorca using a single-aisle Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
Unfortunately for aerophobic individuals, single-aisle jets are in vogue among carriers. They’re cheaper to buy, operate, and maintain, can be turned around more quickly at the gate, and are easier to fill.
Aer Lingus and JetBlue both fly A321LRs across the Atlantic, and Air Canada already flies the narrow-bodied 737 Max 8 from Halifax to London Heathrow, from Montreal to Edinburgh and Reykjavik, and from Toronto to Reykjavik.
It will inaugurate the transatlantic A321XLR service to Mallorca in June 2026, with seats already available for sale now at aircanada.com.
Passengers can expect a cabin set-up similar to Air Canada’s Dreamliners, Boeing 777s, and A330s.
The A321XLR is the first narrow-body 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.
Air Canada said that a new onboard experience would also arrive with the A321XLR era.
In addition to launching the new Mallorca service, Air Canada will transition existing routes to the A321XLR, including year-round flights between Montreal and Toulouse and seasonal flights to Edinburgh.
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As more A321XLR planes are delivered, further new routes will launch from Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax, the carrier said.
Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, and President, Cargo at Air Canada, said: “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.
“This revolutionary narrow-body aircraft unlocks new, exciting global opportunities with its wide-body range and enhanced onboard product.”
Air Canada is acquiring 30 Airbus A321XLRs, with the first aircraft to be received in the first quarter of 2026.