Airbus forecast makes case for A220 on long, thin leisure routes
Airbus's 2026-2045 Global Market Forecast highlights the 137-seat A220 as suited to long, thin leisure markets, even as most of the A320 family backlog sits on larger variants. The type has opened more than 400 routes across North America, Europe and Africa, according to the manufacturer.
Airbus A321 (all variants)Airbus A320 (all variants)
Airbus published its 2026-2045 Global Market Forecast in London in July. It includes a section on the smallest aircraft the manufacturer builds, which runs against the industry's recent direction: for two decades carriers and manufacturers have favoured larger narrowbodies. More than 70 percent of the A320 family backlog is now accounted for by the A321neo and the A321XLR.
The forecast credits the A220, a 137-seat narrowbody, with opening more than 400 routes across North America, Europe and Africa, city pairs that had no scheduled service before an operator added the type.
The argument concerns aircraft size rather than range alone. In Airbus's framing, smaller jets can make long, thin leisure sectors work where a larger narrowbody would not.
Sources
- simpleflying.comHow A 137-Seat Narrowbody Became The Backbone Of Airbus' Long-Thin Leisure Network