Air Canada’s Glowing Hearted era begins as first A321XLR takes off

Air Canada’s first Airbus A321XLR took off this week with 182 passengers onboard for a scheduled flight from Montreal to Toronto, marking a whole new chapter is how and where the airline customers can fly.

Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Cargo at Air Canada, observed that: “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.”

Galardo continued: “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.”

Air Canada’s new Glowing Hearted cabin standard is making its debut on the A321XLR, offering calm, comfort and connectivity to customers. 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 thoughtfully curated cabin finishes inspired by the Canadian landscape and aligned to the airline’s brand and commitment to enduring quality.

Along with 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 Montréal 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 arrival of the A321XLR is an important milestone and the latest step in Air Canada’s multi-year fleet modernization program, which is focused on customer experience, operational resilience and fuel efficiency improvements versus older-generation aircraft.

It reflects the airline’s commitment to prudent growth, continuous product investment, and disciplined execution of Air Canada’s business plan. 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.