United executive said the new Airbus A321XLR will replace Boeing 757 routes and open new ones

This means customers can expect the A321XLR to fly existing 757 routes to places like Faro and Porto in Portugal Malaga, Spain, Edinburgh, Scotland, and Shannon, Ireland.

Quayle said United also plans to fly to places previously unreachable with a narrowbody jet, like France, Northern Italy, Scandinavia, West Africa, and North Africa.

“You can’t really get further than Spain with a 757,” Quayle said. “The A321XLR can fly much further and will open new stations that either don’t have service from an airline today, or they don’t have United Airlines service.”

The A321XLR opens a new era of long-haul travel

The A321XLR has secured certification from European safety authorities but is still awaiting certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, though Airbus said in July that it’s “approaching the finish line.”

Spanish flag carrier Iberia is the launch customer and is expected to receive the first A321XLR in November. This launch flight is scheduled to fly from Madrid to Boston.

The new jet burns 30% less fuel than previous-generation narrowbodies and can hold up to 220 passengers in two classes, making it a perfect jet for airlines beyond United looking to serve more niche long-haul markets.

In March, American Airlines’ managing director of global network planning, Jason Reisinger, said the XLR was favorable because it can serve “routes that cannot support a 787 but where we still have a nice onboard product.”

He suggested routes such as Raleigh, North Carolina, direct to London — negating a layover in the carrier’s Charlotte or New York hubs along the way. American has 50 XLRs on order.

Orders from budget carriers IndiGo and Frontier Airlines are examples of the versatile plane’s ability to fit into both low-cost and mainline operations.

IndiGo’s former CCO Willy Boulte said in 2021 that the XLR could fill the gaps in flying between Indian cities and destinations in Europe and Asia, pointing to options such as Beijing, Seoul, and Amsterdam.

Frontier CEO Barry Biffle has suggested the XLR could allow the ultra-low-cost giant to ditch its largely domestic presence to serve more cities in South America and launch new routes to Hawaii and Europe.