Saudia Takes Delivery Of Its First Airbus A321XLR

Saudia has officially taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR, becoming the first airline in the Middle East and Africa to operate Airbus’ new ultra long-range narrowbody airliner. The delivery marks another major milestone in the carrier’s ambitious fleet expansion plans as Saudi Arabia continues investing heavily in aviation growth under Vision 2030.

The first aircraft, registered HZ-ASBA, was delivered from Airbus’ Toulouse facility on 24 May before flying directly to Jeddah. It is the first of 15 Airbus A321XLRs ordered by the airline, with the remaining aircraft expected to arrive by 2027.

The aircraft is configured in a highly premium 144-seat layout featuring 24 fully-flat Business Class suites with direct aisle access, alongside 120 Economy Class seats. Airbus says the aircraft brings a “widebody experience” to the single-aisle market thanks to the Airspace cabin interior and the A321XLR’s long-range capabilities.

With a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700km), the A321XLR allows airlines like Saudia to operate thinner long-haul routes more efficiently than larger aircraft such as the Boeing 787 or Airbus A330. It also opens up the possibility of increasing frequencies on existing routes while reducing operating costs.

According to route filings reported by AeroRoutes, Saudia plans to begin deploying the type from both Jeddah and Riyadh on services to Europe and beyond during the 2026 northern summer season.

Expected Airbus A321XLR routes include:

• Jeddah – Vienna
• Jeddah – Athens
• Jeddah – Milan Malpensa
• Jeddah – Barcelona
• Jeddah – Brussels
• Jeddah – Male
• Riyadh – Geneva
• Riyadh – Moscow Sheremetyevo

Additional destinations across Africa and South Asia are also expected to see the aircraft in the future as more A321XLRs join the fleet.

For aviation enthusiasts and plane spotters, the arrival of the A321XLR is especially interesting because it will bring narrowbody aircraft onto routes traditionally associated with widebody operations. Saudia’s low-density premium configuration also makes these aircraft among the most exclusive A321XLRs currently flying.

The delivery forms part of a much wider Airbus order announced by the Saudia Group, which includes additional A321neos and other fleet expansion aircraft for both Saudia and low-cost subsidiary flyadeal.