Air Canada has selected the Airbus A350-1000 to lead its next era of global travel, as the airline prepares to “unlock new possibilities for long-haul” operations in the future.
On December 11, 2025, the airline announced that, as part of its fleet modernization program, it had placed an order with Airbus for eight A350-1000 widebody aircraft, with an option to double the purchase in the future.
Deliveries of the new aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2030 and will go some way to replacing Air Canada’s older A330-300s and Boeing 777LRs.
“Air Canada’s acquisition of the Airbus A350-1000 will further solidify our position as a leading global airline through the next decade,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer and President of Cargo at Air Canada. “This state-of-the-art aircraft adds a new dimension to Air Canada’s long-haul capabilities, with impressive range, enhanced payload, and proven economics that unlock new possibilities for long-haul flying for our customers.”
He added: “These highly capable aircraft complement our existing fleet by providing flexibility in support of a growing, resilient, and diversified future network. The Airbus A350-1000 will play a central role in defining Air Canada’s next era, connecting our customers, our hubs, and our country to the world.”
On February 12, 2026, Airbus issued a further statement confirming the order, indicating that the purchase had been listed on its database as undisclosed since November 2025.
Powered by the XWB97 engine from Rolls Royce, Air Canada highlighted the A350-1000’s potential range of approximately 9,000 nautical miles, allowing Air Canada to link Toronto with the Indian subcontinent and Vancouver with Australia and Southeast Asia.
In a LinkedIn post, Galardo said: “This announcement is also about confidence – confidence in our strategy, in our country, and in the long-term future of this airline. It’s also about the conviction we have that Air Canada’s brightest days are still yet to come.”
A new era in long-haul is coming! Today we announced the addition of the @Airbus A350-1000 to support our international growth plans, with first deliveries slated for 2030.
More: https://t.co/5fh51TBbee pic.twitter.com/brTNcCn1v7— Air Canada (@AirCanada) February 11, 2026
Later this year, 14 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners are expected to start to enter service and the carrier is on the cusp of receiving the first of its 30 Airbus A321XLRs.
Air Canada will also continue to take deliveries of the Canadian-assembled Airbus A220, with 23 aircraft remaining on its firm order of 65.
“Air Canada’s selection of the A350-1000 to lead its long-haul fleet strategy is a strong testament to the most technologically advanced widebody on the market,” said Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. “This decision is not only about fleet modernization, it is also about Air Canada’s ambition to set new standards in range, performance and customer satisfaction which we are proud to support.”
