First two Qantas Airbus A321XLRs to enter commercial service late September 2025  

Australian flag carrier Qantas has announced that it has now fixed the entry-into-service dates and has begun taking bookings on its first commercial Airbus A321XLR flights. According to the airline, the arrival of the type into Qantas’ schedules marks “a major milestone in the airline’s fleet renewal program.”

The airline’s first two A321XLRs, registered VH-OGA and VH-OGB (named ‘Great Ocean Road’ and ‘Outback Way’, respectively), will take to the skies carrying commercial revenue on Thursday, September 25, 2025, on the carrier’s Sydney to Melbourne and Sydney to Perth routes, subject to regulatory approval.

According to an airline statement, “These new aircraft will offer a more comfortable flying experience for customers, with wider seats, larger windows, fast, free Wi-Fi, and overhead bins that allow for around 60% more bags than the Boeing 737 they will replace”.

Qantas Providing more details about the first A321XLR flights, Qantas announced that on the first day of operations, one aircraft will operate QF645 from Sydney to Perth, departing Sydney at 10:35 local time and arriving in Perth at 13:35 local time. The aircraft then returns to Sydney as QF650, leaving Perth at 14:35 and landing back in Sydney at 20:40.

GCMap.comMeanwhile, the second aircraft departs Sydney at 16:20 to Melbourne as QF467. It is due to arrive in Melbourne at 17:55. The return Leg (QF484) leaves Melbourne at 18:50 local time and arrives back in Sydney at 20:15.

GCmap.comQantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson said Qantas customers will be the first in the Asia Pacific to experience the next-generation A321XLR when it takes to Australian skies for the first time.

“The inaugural commercial flight will take off from Sydney for Perth, giving customers the very first taste of the comfort, space and connectivity these aircraft bring,” Mr Svensson said. “These next-generation aircraft mark an exciting new chapter for Qantas. We know many of our customers have been waiting for the opportunity to fly on board these new aircraft, just as our teams have been looking forward to flying them.

“The extended flight range will also enable us to operate these aircraft on both domestic and short-haul international routes, including destinations across South East Asia and the Pacific Islands that are not currently viable with our current narrowbody fleet.”

Many more A321XLRs to come

Back in Hamburg, Germany, Qantas’ third A321XLR aircraft, VH-OGC (‘Seven Peaks Walk’) rolled out of the paint shop at Airbus earlier in September 2025. Qantas is expected to take delivery of the aircraft in November 2025. By the end of this financial year, Qantas will have seven of this aircraft type in service.

Qantas / AirbusThe announcement of the first Qantas A321XLR flights follows the recent news that Qantas is further expanding its A321XLR fleet, increasing its A321XLR order to 48 aircraft.

The expansion of the Group’s largest ever fleet renewal program will see 16 of its A321XLRs configured with lie-flat business class seats and seat back entertainment screens to serve longer routes, including transcontinental services to and from Perth, and short and medium haul international routes.

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