Air Canada has officially become a new A350 customer. The Canadian carrier revealed on February 12 that it had placed a firm order with Airbus for eight A350-1000 aircraft, which will be delivered starting in the second half of 2030. The airline has also secured purchase rights for eight additional aircraft.
The firm aircraft were already in Airbus’s order book, but their customer had not been identified. They were added last November.
The A350-1000 is part of Air Canada’s fleet renewal strategy, as the airline welcomes access to a new generation of long-haul aircraft. They will diversify a fleet that currently relies heavily on Boeing long-haul aircraft and will support growth across the international network.
The A350-1000s “complement our existing fleet by providing flexibility in support of a growing, resilient, and diversified future network. The Airbus A350-1000 will play a central role in defining Air Canada’s next era, connecting our customers, our hubs, and our country to the world,” comments Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Cargo at Air Canada.
Fleet modernization is already well underway, with Air Canada expecting delivery of fourteen 787-10s starting this year and its first A321XLRs this summer (thirty on order). The airline must also integrate five leased 737 MAX aircraft in 2026, while deliveries of its A220s continue, with 23 aircraft still outstanding.
As of January 31, the Airbus A350 family had accumulated 1,529 aircraft on order from 67 customers, of which 698 have been delivered.
