Air Canada Confirms Order for Eight A350-1000 Airbus Aircraft

On February 11 local time, Air Canada officially announced at its Montreal headquarters that it has confirmed an order for eight A350-1000 Airbus aircraft, with options for an additional eight aircraft of the same model. This new batch of wide-body passenger aircraft is expected to begin delivery in the second half of 2030, marking the airline's first confirmed order for Airbus wide-body models since 1997.

Air Canada's aircraft purchase decision is part of its fleet modernization plan. The newly introduced A350-1000 Airbus aircraft will be equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB97 engines, which can reduce fuel consumption by approximately 25% compared to previous-generation models in the same class. With a maximum range of about 9,000 nautical miles, this aircraft type is capable of operating ultra-long-haul routes from Toronto or Montreal to destinations such as the east coast of Australia and New Zealand. Air Canada stated that these aircraft will be equipped with the airline's new cabin standard, which is planned to be launched later this year.

In addition to the confirmed A350-1000 Airbus aircraft order, Air Canada currently has 14 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, 30 Airbus A321XLRs, and 23 Airbus A220 series aircraft awaiting delivery. Industry analysis suggests that the multiple delays in the Boeing 777X program's delivery timeline are one of the factors that led Air Canada to choose the Airbus A350-1000.