Word was that this was going to happen when Airbus sent out invites to select journalists in Canada, and it just did. AirAsia announced a new deal with Airbus, ordering its youngest narrowbody family.
AirAsia orders 150 of the A220-300
Malaysian ultra-low-cost carrier AirAsia has just placed an order for the Airbus A220-300, an aircraft that joined the Airbus family in 2018. The airline has finalised a firm order for 150 jets. The order marks the revival of the jet’s sales cycle, as the 150-aircraft order exceeds the number of A220 aircraft ordered in 2024 and 2025. The purchase agreement is the largest single-firm order for the A220 and moves the program past the 1,000-firm milestone, a major milestone.
It’s also worth noting that AirAsia is the launch customer for the high-density version of the A220-300. The plane is currently certified for up to 149 seats, but adding an extra overwing exit will be able to increase capacity to 160 seats. Note that this high-density A220-300 differs from the stretched A220-500 concept, which Airbus is also considering and which would bring it closer to the A320 series.
AirAsia A220-300 Rendering (courtesy Airbus)
Here is what Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes describes this order:
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. 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.
How does the Airbus A220 fit into AirAsia’s fleet?
The fleet of AirAsia Malaysia consists of Airbus A320-family aircraft, including classic (ceo) and next generation (neo) versions, with orders for the A321neo, A321LR, and A321XLR aircraft. Separately, other entities also have the A330.
The A220, AirAsia version, will be certified for 160 passengers, bringing it closer to the older A320’s 180-seat configuration and likely replacing those jets. Separately, AirAsia might also be interested in an A220-500 version if and when it happens.
With this new configuration, perhaps more airlines could also be looking at the A220 now (looking at you, IndiGo).
Bottomline
AirAsia has announced a firm order for 150 high-density Airbus A220-300s. The new variant of the A220-300 can have up to 160 seats (thanks to an extra emergency exit). The delivery dates for the jet are not yet announced, so it might be a while before the first one enters the fleet.
What do you make of AirAsia’s A220-300 order?
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