JetBlue Joins Airbus A321XLR Paris Air Show Parade With 13-Plane Order

Momma it’s that plane again.

This time it’s JetBlue jumping on the bandwagon of the sales success of this year’s Paris Air Show, the newly-introduced Airbus A321XLR. With an order for 13 aircraft, JetBlue joins American Airlines, International Leasing Corp, Middle East Airlines, Qantas, and Frontier Airline’s parent company in ordering the hot new long-range, single-aisle twin-jet. This brings the Airbus order book for the newly-announced plane, not scheduled for delivery until 2023, to over 200.

The A321XLR is the latest evolution of the popular Airbus A321neo aircraft family of single-aisle narrow-body twin-jets. The new plane features an extended range of 4,700 nautical miles thanks to an additional rear center tank for more fuel volume, combined with what Airbus says is a 30% lower fuel burn per seat than previous-generation aircraft.

For Airbus, the interest in the A321XLR is welcome good news after a year that so far has seen the dismissal of more than 100 employees over alleged corruption and the ignominious end of the A380 jumbo jet program.

For JetBlue, the new plane represents something quite different. JetBlue is already the Number 6 U.S. airline, flying more than 42 million customers a year to over 100 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America. The acquisition of the A321XLR, with its 4700 nautical mile range, gives JetBlue the chance to be a truly international airline, flying transatlantic between what it calls its “focus cities.”

JetBlue has already announced a plan to fly the Atlantic from Boston and New York to London with the Airbus A321LR, beginning in 2021. The new A321XLR aircraft, with deliveries starting in 2023, will allow the airline to implement further expansion to additional European destinations from Boston and New York, while also providing added fuel efficiency. For example, JetBlue says the XLR opens up possibilities for service between the northeast U.S. and destinations in south, central and northern Europe.

“The incredible extended range of the A321XLR allows us to evaluate even more overseas destinations as we think about JetBlue’s expansion into European markets plagued by high premium fares and subpar service,” said Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s chief executive officer.

For both the initial A321LR flights and the addition of new destinations with the A321XLR, JetBlue plans a “re-imagined transatlantic version” of its premium Mint seating, as well as an enhanced transatlantic Core (Coach) experience for the A321XLR. JetBlue has already begun updating the cabins of both its existing A319 and A321 aircraft.

Technically, the JetBlue order for the newly-announced A321XLR is not a new order, but a conversion of 13 A321neo aircraft in the existing order book to the new extended-range aircraft. (American Airlines is doing the same thing, converting 30 standing orders to the new aircraft plus ordering 20 additional.)

Hayes added that the airline is also adding 10 smaller Airbus A220-300 aircraft (formerly the Bombardier C Series) to its order with delivery beginning in 2025.

“Increasing our firm order for A220 aircraft gives us a valuable tool to support our network strategy in the Americas and continue to build our focus cities with an airplane that offers incredible economics and range,” said Hayes. “Both the XLR and the A220 ensure we remain committed to meeting financial targets with disciplined growth.”

In a recent press release, JetBlue repeatedly emphasized how the new aircraft, particular the A321XLR, will allow the airline to grow in a financially disciplined fashion. The company says it “remains focused on delivering earnings per share between $2.50 and $3.00 by 2020.” (According to GuruFocus, JetBlue “Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months ended in Mar. 2019 was $0.47.”)

“This next generation, low-cost single-aisle platform ensures we are building a fleet that meets and exceeds our financial targets for the next decade and beyond,” said Steve Priest, JetBlue’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. Investments in aircraft like the fuel-efficient A321XLR will “allow us to advance our broader expansion plans but with disciplined, thoughtful growth,” he added.