AirAsia orders 150 Airbus A220 jets in landmark aircraft deal

Dubai: Malaysia’s AirAsia has placed a landmark order for 150 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, marking the largest single firm order ever placed for the A220 programme.

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The agreement also pushes the Airbus A220 programme beyond the 1,000 firm order milestone, Airbus said in a statement.

The deal was announced during a ceremony at Airbus’ facility in Mirabel attended by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Lars Wagner. The event was also attended by Mark Carney and Christine Frechette.

The purchase agreement makes AirAsia a new customer for the A220 aircraft. The airline will also become the launch customer for the jet’s new 160-seat cabin configuration.

According to Airbus, the new layout adds 10 extra seats through the addition of an extra overwing exit on each side of the aircraft.

The A220 aircraft will complement AirAsia’s existing Airbus fleet and support the group’s future network growth plans. The airline said the aircraft will operate routes across ASEAN and into Central Asia, while allowing larger aircraft to be used on longer-haul flights.

Bold new moves

“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.”

Airbus said the A220 can carry between 100 and 160 passengers and has a range of up to 3,600 nautical miles, or 6,700 kilometres.

At the end of March 2026, Airbus had delivered 501 A220 aircraft to 25 operators worldwide.

The aircraft is already capable of operating with up to 50 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Airbus aiming for all its aircraft to operate with up to 100 per cent SAF by 2030.