Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, announced that it has received its first Airbus A320neo aircraft as part of its strategy for growth and fleet expansion.
The aircraft is the first from an order of 120 A320 family aircraft placed with Airbus in 2019. The order, valued at US$14 billion, included 73 A320neo, 27 A321neo, and 20 A321XLR aircraft.
In a statement published on September 29, 2025, the airline said it celebrated the arrival of its first A320neo with a special ceremony at Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) in the United Arab Emirates. The ceremony was attended by airline executives, government officials, and airport representatives.
“Over the years, our existing fleet and cabin configuration has supported reliable operations and passenger experience,” Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia. “The introduction of the A320neo will further enhance our operational performance and support our continued expansion into new markets.”
🛫 Welcoming our first Airbus A320neo aircraft, marking the start of our 120-aircraft order with Airbus!⁰This brand-new aircraft marks a significant milestone in Air Arabia’s growth and fleet development strategy and will take to the skies on its first commercial flight on 1… pic.twitter.com/R4w7ah0wX4
— Air Arabia (@airarabiagroup) September 29, 2025
The new A320neo features a single-class cabin layout with 174 seats, which, the carrier said, provides one of the most spacious seat pitches in the economy section for passenger comfort. It is also powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines and features Airbus’s signature Sharklets.
The A320neo will be added to Air Arabia’s existing fleet of 83 Airbus A320 family aircraft, consisting of 74 Airbus A320 and nine A321neo LRs.
The newly acquired aircraft is set to start operations on October 1, 2025, with its inaugural commercial flight from Sharjah, UAE, to Bangkok, Thailand.
