AirAsia orders 150 new 160-seat Airbus A220-300s

Update: New update includes AirAsia stating the airline also has options for 150 more of the aircraft. 

Airbus has revealed that AirAsia has placed the largest order for 150 A220-300 aircraft. The Malaysia-based budget airline group will also be the launch customer of a new 160-seat variant of the aircraft.

Announced at Airbus Canada's (Airbus Canada Limited Partnership – ACLP) facility in Mirabel, Canada on May 6, AirAsia’s newly announced order is the single largest firm order for the A220. The 160-seat variant of A220-300 – typically with a maximum capacity available of 120-150 seats – will include an extra overwing exit on each side of the aircraft. 

In addition to the commitment for 150 A220-300s, the airline also has options for 150 more. Deliveries are scheduled from 2028. 

The A220 – first launched initially as the Bombardier Cseries – is a twin-engine narrowbody aircraft smaller than Airbus’s A320/A321 family with a capacity of 100-150 passengers. With a range of up to 6,700km (~3,600nm), can operate flights to smaller regional airports compared to the more popular A320. To date, Airbus has received over 1,000 orders for the A220. Over 500 A220s are currently in operation with 25 airline operators around the world.

According to Airbus, the A220 complements AirAsia’s current fleet that comprises mostly of A320/A321 aircraft and will play a key role in advancing the budget airline group’s network. The aircraft will operate flights to destinations across ASEAN and into Central Asia, freeing up larger aircraft for longer routes.

"We have built AirAsia by making bold decisions at the right moment, not the easiest moment. This order reflects our long-term discipline and the scale of our ambitions. The A220 unlocks new markets and routes and brings us closer to building the world's first true low-cost network carrier,” said Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Advisor to Air Asia Group. “Our partnership with Airbus spans more than two decades and has been central to everything we have achieved. Today is another milestone in that journey, and there are many more to come.”

“The A220 will provide an optimal platform for AirAsia, combining low operating costs with the range that will enable the carrier to open new routes across Asia and beyond,” said Lars Wagner, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. “Airbus and AirAsia teams have been working tirelessly to reach this landmark agreement, which is fully aligned with the airline’s new network strategy.”

AirAsia is now the biggest customer of the A220, surpassing Delta’s total orders of 145. Delta continues to be the largest operator of the A220 with 85, followed by JetBlue with 61.

Within the Asia-Pacific, AirAsia will join Korean Air which operates 10 of the aircraft and Qantas with 11 currently with QantasLink. Qantas total orders for the A220 is 29.