Airbus has today announced that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued the Type Certificate for the A321XLR powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines. The aircraft powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines was previously certified in July 2024.
On Friday (February 21, 2025), Airbus announced that the Airbus A321XLR powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines has received EASA Type Certification. This follows the certification of the aircraft powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines in July 2024, and clears the way for the first A321XLR with Pratt & Whitney engines to enter passenger revenue service later this year.
In Friday’s announcement, Airbus Commercial Aircraft’s CEO, Christian Scherer, said,
“The A321XLR already displays its great versatility crossing the Atlantic in daily operations. With the certification and entry-into-service of the GTF-powered A321XLR we will see more operators introduce this game changing aircraft. It is also good news for our customers’ passengers who will benefit from the convenience of new direct city to city connections with a heightened level of cabin comfort.”
The Airbus A321XLR introduces the flexibility to add capacity, open new routes, or to continue operating existing routes with variable demand, all while burning 30 percent less fuel per seat than previous generation competitor aircraft. Having completed its maiden flight in June 2022, the aircraft then entered an extensive testing program involving three aircraft, before entering passenger revenue service in 2024. To date, the Airbus A321XLR has won over 500 orders.
Source: Airbus