The Airbus A321XLR is undoubtedly the most anticipated aircraft of the next few years. The European giant is currently awaiting certification for the narrowbody, with an entry-to-service target of early 2024. Despite the pandemic threatening to slow things down, the excitement for the XLR is going strong, with more than 550 orders by 26 customers. Here's a look at who has purchased the type.

As the name suggests, the A321XLR (eXtra Long Range) can fly more than 4,700NM with a passenger load of up to 244 passengers. This allows for some remarkable long-haul opportunities that were impossible with traditional widebodies. Think South Asia to Europe or the Middle East to Southern Africa as some examples. The A321XLR has also attracted a variety of customers, from low-cost giants like IndiGo and Wizz Air to traditional full-service carriers like American and Air Canada.

American Airlines

One of the first customers for the A321XLR is also one of its largest to date. American Airlines inked its deal at the Paris Air Show in 2019, days after the type was first revealed, and ordered 50 in total. Thirty of these were converted from outstanding A321neo orders, but it's an impressive figure nonetheless.

The aircraft has been delayed slightly into the second quarter of 2024, while American was hoping for an aggressive delivery schedule to see all 50 in the fleet by 2025. The new timetable remains unclear, but expect the first planes to be arriving the same year as certification.

American is targeting routes from the US to continental Europe with the A321XLR, replacing the legacy aircraft it retired during the pandemic. This is common to several US carriers and one that could make a healthy order source for Airbus.

United Airlines

United Airlines has also ordered 50 of the updated jetliner. The order was placed in December 2019, and the carrier was meant to start taking delivery of the aircraft in 2024. While this might be pushed behind a few months due to the delays, time is key for the airline. The order is part of United's replacement of its Boeing 757-200 fleet of 40 jets, which average an age of 26 years.

"The new Airbus A321XLR aircraft is an ideal one-for-one replacement for the older, less-efficient aircraft currently operating between some of the most vital cities in our intercontinental network," Andrew Nocella, Chief Commercial Officer for United said at the time.

As you may guess, the XLR will be deployed from New York and Washington to service European routes.

IndiGo

The largest A320neo family customer, IndiGo is not missing out on the A321XLR. The Indian low-cost giant signed for an undisclosed number of aircraft as part of its mammoth 300-jet order in 2019. With 386 A321neos on order in total, there is potential for IndiGo to become the largest customer in the coming years.

While the carrier has been tight-lipped about where it will fly the game-changing aircraft, hints have been dropped from Western Europe, namely Paris and London, as well as the Far East, such as Tokyo and Seoul.

Qantas

Next in order size is Qantas. Also striking a deal at the Paris Air Show 2019, the Australian flag carrier placed ten new orders and converted another 26 from a prior commitment. While the airline has since announced deferrals of some orders, this does not apply to the new XLR. Thus far, the original delivery scheme for 2024 and a couple of years onwards still stands.

"It can fly routes like Cairns-Tokyo or Melbourne-Singapore, which existing narrowbodies can't, and that changes the economics of lots of potential routes into Asia to make them not just physically possible but financially attractive," Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said in a statement to Reuters.

AirAsia X

Struggling Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia X also has 30 of the A321XLR on order since August last year. While it has asked to defer the delivery of 78 of another middle-of-the-market jet, the A330neo, of which it is Airbus' largest customer. No mention has yet been made of the A321XLRs.

Indigo Partners

Private equity firm Indigo Partners has also placed a massive order for the A321XLR for its constituent airlines, namely Wizz Air, Jetsmart, and Frontier.

Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air is expanding, not only bases and routes but also fleet and range. The carrier has 20 of the A321XLR on order. They are scheduled for delivery from 2023 onwards, and Wizz intends to fly them on new routes with seven to eight hours of flight time, as well as operate them on existing services. The cabin will have a 239-seat configuration to correspond to Wizz's A321neos.

JetSmart, the Argentinian low-cost carrier, is next, with 14 allocations for the type. Given the country's position, the narrowbody opens a variety of routes as far as North America and the entirety of the South American continent.

Finally, we have US budget carrier Frontier, which will take up 18 A321XLRs. The carrier is considering going transatlantic with its narrowbodies, becoming the first budget carrier to do so from the US.

Air Arabia

Air Arabia placed an order for a full 120 aircraft from Airbus at the Dubai Air Show in November last year. Among them were 20 orders for the new A321XLR. The reach of the new model will allow the Emirati low-cost carrier to reach destinations in Asia, Europe, Africa, and even parts of South and North America.

VietJet

Another South East Asian carrier wanting to try its wings on the mid-to-long-range market is Vietnamese VietJet. The airline has a firm order for 15 of the A321XLR and is, or was, in November last year, planning to operate them on routes to Australia.

Frontier and JetBlue

Hybrid carrier JetBlue has ordered 13 A321XLRs, converting existing orders for other narrowbody aircraft. The New York-based airline intends to use it to expand its transatlantic capacity from its focus cities, Boston and New York.

"The incredible extended range of the A321XLR allows us to evaluate even more overseas destinations as we think about JetBlue's expansion into European markets plagued by high premium fares and subpar service," Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue, said in June last year.

SKY Airline

Santiago-based low-cost carrier SKY Airline has ordered ten A321XLRs. The new range/financial ratio will allow Chile's second-largest airline to expand to destinations in North America.

Ten or under

Back on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, Cebu Pacific has also ordered ten of the aircraft. In the Middle East, Flynas is set to take another ten, and Lebanon's Middle East Airlines, one of the A321XLR's launch customers, will take delivery of four. IAG has ordered eight for Iberia and six for Aer Lingus. Czech Airlines swapped an order for seven A320neos for the extra long-range model.

Overall, the A321XLR is shaping up to have a bright future, and as the type becomes a mainstay at global airports, expect to see more orders in the future.