Qantas has unveiled a Great Barrier Reef-inspired livery on its newest Airbus A321XLR, celebrating one of Australia’s most iconic natural landmarks.
The aircraft, named Coral Sea, rolled out of Airbus’ paint shop in Hamburg, Germany, on May 28, 2026.
It is the seventh of 48 A321XLRs Qantas has on order and will be flown home to Australia by Qantas pilots in June 2026.
A flying tribute to the reef
The livery spans both sides of the 44-meter aircraft and features sea turtles, clownfish, and coral rendered in bold, bright colors across the fuselage. The design is a collaborative effort marking Qantas’ long-term partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which began in 2009.
Qantas has committed AUD $10 million (US $6.5 million) over 10 years through the Reef Restoration Fund to support scientists, Traditional Owners, and local tourism operators working to restore corals across the Great Barrier Reef and other Australian reefs.
Anna Marsden, Managing Director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, said she hopes the aircraft inspires people to care about the reef’s future.
“Few places on Earth capture the imagination quite like the Great Barrier Reef — its colors, its creatures, its sheer scale,” Marsden said. “This aircraft will carry that story to millions of people every year.”
A next-generation aircraft
The A321XLR can fly more than 3,000 kilometers further than the Boeing 737 it replaces. Qantas became the first airline in Asia Pacific to operate the type when its first A321XLR, named Great Ocean Road, entered service in September 2025.
Markus Svensson, Qantas Domestic Chief Executive Officer, said the aircraft marks an important step in the airline’s fleet modernization.
“Queensland is a critical part of our network, and through the thousands of seats we provide into the state every week, we continue to play an important role in supporting tourism and regional connectivity,” Svensson said.
Expanding Queensland connections
The Great Barrier Reef welcomed more than 2.3 million visitors last year, and total visitor spending in Queensland topped $44 billion. Qantas operates more than 1,600 domestic and international return services in and out of the state each week.
In 2025, Qantas and Jetstar added 10 new routes to Queensland, including international services from Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Vanuatu, Manila, and Palau, as well as domestic routes from Cairns Airport (CNS) to the Sunshine Coast and Darwin to the Gold Coast.
The A321XLR recently began flying between Brisbane and Perth Airport (PER), while A220 flights between Brisbane and Cairns launched earlier this month. Qantas’ first international A321XLR service is set to begin in October, connecting Brisbane with Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila.
