AirAsia Places Landmark Airbus A220-300 Aircraft Order
- Joe Breitfeller
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Airbus has today announced that AirAsia has placed a landmark order for 150 A220-300 aircraft, marking the largest-ever single firm order for the type.
On Wednesday (May 6, 2026), Airbus announced that Malaysia’s AirAsia has placed an order for 150 A220-300s. This is the largest single firm order placed for the A220 ever, and propels the program beyond the 1,000 firm order milestone, underscoring the aircraft’s global market appeal. The contract was announced at a ceremony at the Airbus’ Mirabel, Canada facility, attended by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Advisor to AirAsia Group and Lars Wagner, Airbus’ CEO – Commercial Aircraft.
At Wednesday’s ceremony, Capital A’s CEO, and AirAsia Group Advisor, Tong Fernandes, said,
“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.”
Also commenting on the landmark A220 order, Airbus’ CEO – Commercial Aircraft, Lars Wagner, said,
“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. Airbus and AirAsia teams have been working tirelessly to reach this landmark agreement, which is fully aligned with the airline’s new network strategy.”
Today’s purchase agreement makes AirAsia a new customer for the A220. The airline will also become the launch customer for the aircraft’s new 160-seat cabin configuration. The increase in capacity, 10 extra seats, is made possible by the addition of an extra overwing exit on each side of the aircraft. The A220 will complement AirAsia’s existing Airbus fleet, and will play a key role in advancing the Group’s network and growth. The aircraft will serve destinations across ASEAN and into Central Asia, freeing up larger aircraft to fly longer routes.
With the longest range, lowest fuel consumption and widest cabin in its class, the Airbus A220 is the most modern airliner in its size category, carrying between 100 to 160 passengers on flights of up to 3,600 nautical miles (6,700 km). At March 31, 2026, over 500 A220s had been delivered to 25 operators worldwide. Like all Airbus aircraft, the A220can already operate with up to 50 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus plans for all of their aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100 percent SAF by 2030.
Source: Airbus
