Pratt & Whitney has today announced that the FAA has certified the GTF engine to power the Airbus A321XLR, with the entry into service expected in 2025.
On Monday (December 16, 2025), Pratt & Whitney, an RTX Company, announced that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the GTF engine to power the Airbus A321XLR, with entry into service expected in 2025. The engine type certificate was granted on December 12th, and is applicable to the PW1100G-JM engine, and was updated to include the A321XLR (Xtra-Long-Range) aircraft.
In Monday’s announcement, Pratt & Whitney’s President – Commercial Engines, Rick Deurloo, said,
“This is an important milestone for the GTF engine program, which was the first engine to power the A320neo aircraft family. The longer range and higher payload capability of the Airbus A321XLR aircraft will provide customers with expanded route flexibility to more destinations. A321XLR operators will benefit from the GTF’s best-in-class fuel efficiency and the lowest carbon emissions available for single aisle aircraft.”
To date, 13 global customers have selected GTF engines to power 217 A321XLRs. In total, more than 2,100 GTF-powered aircraft have been delivered to over 80 customers worldwide. Compared to aircraft powered by previous generation engines, the GTF delivers a fuel reduction of up to 20 percent, and since entering service in 2016 has saved operators 2.0 billion gallons of fuel, while reducing 20 million metric tons of CO2.
The Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, which is on track for certification and initial deliveries next year, will deliver even more value for A321XLR operators, including 4-8 percent higher takeoff thrust with up to 1.0 percent fuel savings and longer time on wing. The GTF Advantage will be fully interchangeable with today’s GTF model.
A division of Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE: RTX), Pratt & Whitney is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) for commercial, military, regional, business and general aviation aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is known for their innovative technologies such as the Geared Turbofan (GTF) commercial aircraft engine and the PW800 business jet engine. Arlington, Virginia-based RTX is the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, employing over 185,000 team members worldwide. The company’s industry-leading business units include Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon. In 2023, RTX generated sales totaling $68.9 billion.
Source: Pratt & Whitney, an RTX company