IndiGo Gets India’s First A321 XLR: What Makes It Different

IndiGo on Wednesday shared images of its Airbus A321 XLR aircraft after it landed in Delhi, becoming the first airline in India to induct the long-range narrow-body jet. The airline described the arrival as the aircraft’s return home.

The A321 XLR is built to fly longer distances than the planes currently used by IndiGo and is expected to support its international flying plans. Until now, the airline’s network has largely focused on short domestic and regional routes.

India’s largest airline by fleet size and passenger numbers, IndiGo has been working towards expanding its overseas operations. The addition of the A321 XLR allows the airline to plan direct flights from Indian cities to destinations that were earlier not viable for narrow-body aircraft.

IndiGo has already said the aircraft will be used to operate non-stop services to Athens, along with other international routes under consideration. It is also expected to be deployed on select domestic sectors.

With the induction of the A321 XLR, IndiGo enters medium- and long-distance operations using a single-aisle aircraft, a first for the airline.

Long-Distance Aircraft

The Airbus A321 XLR can fly up to 4,700 nautical miles and stay airborne for close to 11 hours. It can carry up to 244 passengers, making it suitable for longer international flights without using larger aircraft.

Airbus has said the aircraft allows airlines to start longer routes with lower costs and fewer seats, reducing risk if passenger demand is uneven.

The aircraft is also meant to be used alongside wide-body planes. It can operate on routes during periods of lower demand or when travel varies across the year, helping airlines keep direct connections.

Globally, the A321 XLR has so far been used on a limited number of routes, including services linked to Paris, Kuala Lumpur and Dallas, as per Airbus data.

IndiGo had earlier entered long-haul flying with direct flights between Mumbai and Manchester. It later added Delhi–Manchester services using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft taken on damp lease.

The airline has announced that its first A321 XLR flight will fly from Mumbai to Athens on January 23, 2026. This will make it the only Indian airline offering a direct connection to Greece.

Alongside the narrow-body expansion, IndiGo is also adding larger aircraft to its fleet. The airline has increased its Airbus A350-900 order to 60 planes and currently operates over 400 aircraft, with hundreds more on order.