QANTAS: Details of interiors of new Airbus A321XLR arriving April 2025

Under the headline of ‘Flight Training‘, Qantas has released some details of its replacement for its Boeing 737 fleet, predominantly on domestic flights. The new Airbus A321XLR will start flying domestic routes from April 2025.

The 28 aircraft on order are part of the replacement program for the Boeing 737 aircraft over the next decade.

“Qantas will be one of the first airlines in the world to operate the A321XLR and ahead of the arrival of our first aircraft next year, we’ve started pilot training and finalised the details of the customer experience,” said Ms Hudson.

Vanessa Hudson, Qantas Group CEO

They offer some exciting route possibilities as the longest range (XLR) model in the A320 family. Passengers will get a quieter cabin and lower carbon emissions per seat. Qantas also hopes they will be more reliable than the aging 737 fleet.

“Nearly half of all the customers Qantas carries each year travel on our 737 fleet so the A321XLR aircraft that we’ve ordered to replace them will be incredibly important for our future.

Vanessa Hudson, Qantas Group CEO

The difference in A321XLR cabins from the Boeing 737s

The new wider and longer aircraft offer a greater capacity of 197 passengers (B737s had 174) with 177 in Economy and 20 (up from 12) Business Class seats. Oddly, the first three Qantas A321XLRs will arrive configured with 180 Economy seats. This is not explained.

Carry-on-only passengers will delight in the higher capacity, overhead bins allowing for 60% more capacity than on the B737.

The cabins also have larger windows and higher ceilings than the old fleet, as well as a slightly wider cabin which is more spacious.

All will be WiFi equipped, but won’t have seat back screens. You need to provide your own device to stream entertainment and internet services to. Seat backs will come with device holders.

Greater reach of A321XLR

The A321XLR can fly 3,000 km further than the old B737s, which gives some interesting short-haul international possibilities including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Phuket and Singapore.

The aircraft is 5 metres longer than the old 737s allowing a 13% increase in total seats, with no apparent reduction in legroom. Qantas has chosen the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engines (PW1100G-JM) to power its fleet of A321XLRs.

2PAXfly Takeout

Cutely, the fleet will be named using a theme of ‘Walks, Rivers and Roads’. The first aircraft to arrive will be named ‘Great Ocean Road’.

I have travelled on a lot of Qantas B737 aircraft over the last month or so, domestically, and to New Zealand. Mostly they are standing up well for their age unless you strike an un-refurbished one, which just looks old-fashioned. Sometimes the mechanical seats get a little wonky, or the tray tables in Business class slope precariously.

They are well overdue for replacement. I especially notice how noisy they are compared to more contemporary aircraft.

It will be exciting when these new aircraft from Airbus start flying. I am excited by the possibilities of narrow-body flights to Asia. Although, not with those business recliners. ET is reporting that Qantas is toying with another configuration for the international routes with proper lay flat beds. Now if they do that, I’m in!