Icelandair is gearing up for an exciting development with the upcoming delivery of its first Airbus A321LR slated for November 2024. This delivery marks a significant shift for the airline, traditionally a loyal Boeing customer. The Reykjavik-based carrier has four A321LRs on order from Airbus, set to replace some of its aging Boeing 757-200 fleet. Excitement is brewing as the airline released images of the new plane in September 2024, showing off its eye-catching magenta-tinged livery.

Pilotcenter.net News reports that all four A321LRs are set to be operational by the summer of 2025, operating from Icelandair's hub at Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport. The carrier will kick off the A321LR's deployment with flights to Copenhagen and Stockholm in December 2024, followed by routes to London-Heathrow and Oslo later in the month. The airline's plans also include flights to Manchester and Glasgow in 2025, with additional services to Amsterdam and Brussels.

As more A321LRs join the fleet, Icelandair looks to expand its reach with routes to farther destinations such as Seattle, Rome, Berlin, and Paris. The A321LR will be configured with 22 lie-flat business class seats and 165 economy class seats, boasting a range of 4,000 nautical miles to seamlessly integrate into Icelandair's existing network. The aircraft offers a slight capacity increase over the 757s, with 187 seats compared to 183.

Icelandair's current fleet includes a mix of Boeing aircraft, but with the addition of the A321LRs and forthcoming A321XLR variant, the airline is set to explore new long-haul routes from Iceland. With operations across 62 destinations in 21 countries, including cities in Europe, the US, and Canada, Icelandair is poised for a dynamic future in the aviation industry.