Icelandair set to commence first Airbus A321LR flights to Europe and US  

With the imminent arrival of its first Airbus A321LR due for delivery in November 2024, Icelandair has been providing further details on where it will deploy the newest addition to its fleet. The arrival of the type will also mark a seismic shift for the airline which has long since been a fiercely loyal Boeing aircraft customer. 

The first aircraft is one of four A321LRs that the Reykjavik-based carrier has on order from Airbus, which are earmarked to start replacing some of the airline’s Boeing 757-200 fleet, the requirement process of which has already begun. In September 2024, the carrier released the first images of its new plane, minus its engines which were yet to be installed.  

The aircraft features a magenta-tinged version of the company’s white and nay livery and although it still carries the Airbus test registration of D-AZXZ, it will carry the Icelandic registration of TF-IAA when delivered. All four new aircraft are due to be in service by the summer of 2025, operating routes from the airline’s hub at Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport (KEF). 

IcelandairCommencing on December 10, 2024, the carrier will deploy its first longer-range A321LR on flights from Iceland to Copenhagen (CPH) and Stockholm (ARN). These services will be followed with the addition of A321LR flights to London-Heathrow (LHR) on December 23, 2024, and Oslo (OSL) on December 24, 2024.  

Additionally, the airline plans to operate limited A321LR flights to Manchester (MAN) in April 2025 and Glasgow (GLA) in May 2025. Amsterdam (AMS) and Brussels (BRU) will also see some services operated by the A321LR.  

Once fully established into the Icelandair fleet, and with subsequent aircraft being delivered from Airbus, the carrier will start to introduce its A321LRs on routes to destinations further afield. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in the US is to see A321LR service from May 7, 2025, providing a perfect platform on which the type can benefit from its extended range capabilities. Flights to Rome (FCO), Berlin (BER), and Paris (CDG) are all due to commence in June 2024, once all four aircraft have been delivered.  

GCmap.comIcelandair’s A321LR fleet will be configured with 22 lie-flat business class seats and 165 seats in economy class. The A321LR aircraft has a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km), which means it can slot into Icelandair’s current route network easily and offer a slight increase in capacity over the 757s (187 versus 183).  

According to ch-aviation, Icelandair’s current fleet consists of 42 aircraft comprising 17 Boeing 737 MAX 8, four Boeing 737 MAX 9, 11 Boeing 757-200s, and three Boeing 757-300s. With its fleet, the carrier operates flights on 63 routes to 62 destinations across 21 countries which include cities in Europe, the US, and (seasonally) in Canada.  

IcelandairIn addition to the four A321LRs that the airline is expecting in the coming months, it also has an outstanding order for 13 of the even longer-range A321XLR variant. Due to replacing the remaining 757-200s on longer routes, these aircraft are being seen as offering Icelandair the potential to open up even more long-haul routes from Iceland.  

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