Qantas’ New Airbus A321XLR Economy Experience From Brisbane to Sydney [Quick Review]

Operating long-haul routes with narrow-body planes is a current trend among airlines. Whether it’s airlines using the extended ranges of the Airbus A321LR or XLR to add new destinations to their networks, or people complaining that they’re not comfortable enough for long-haul flights, everyone’s talking about them.

It seems that every couple of months, another airline launches its version of Airbus’s most modern twin-engine jet, with American Airlines being the latest to unveil its brand-new Airbus A321XLR. While several airlines operate Airbus A321LRs and A321neos, only a handful of airlines currently fly the XLR variant. Iberia was the first airline in 2024, with airlines such as Aer Lingus, American, Qantas, and ultra-low-cost European carrier Wizz Air joining the gang.

Australian flag carrier Qantas recently debuted its version of the Airbus A321XLR, and I had the opportunity to try it out in economy on a flight from Brisbane (BNE) to Sydney (SYD).

I’ve flown Etihad, JetBlue, and TAP narrow-body aircraft in business class on long-haul flights, so I was intrigued to try out Qantas’ version, albeit in economy this time.

Flying Qantas Airbus A321XLR in Business Class

This version of the Qantas Airbus A321XLR features recliner seats in business class, similar to those found in domestic first and business class on U.S. flights.

The cabin comprises 20 seats in a 2-2 configuration.

The padded burgundy seats certainly looked comfortable. A double-armrest and wood-finish drinks table separates the seats. Qantas opted to install non-flat seats on these aircraft, some of which will operate international routes, likely to places such as Auckland, New Zealand (AKL) and Denpasar, Indonesia (DPS) in Bali, as well as the Pacific islands in Qantas’ route network.

Qantas has also ordered 16 Airbus A321XLRs with lie-flat seats in business class. Their expected delivery date isn’t until 2028.

Flying Qantas Airbus A321XLR in Economy Class

Now, onto the economy cabin, which has 177 or 180 seats (depending on the aircraft) in a regular 3-3 configuration.

My first impression of the economy cabin was that it looked bright, airy, and spacious, in part due to the light grey fabric of the seats.

Looking comfortable doesn’t necessarily mean it would be comfortable. However, unlike many other airlines that install hard, faux leather-style seating on newer short-haul aircraft these days, the padding on these seats was ample. The fabric was soft and breathable. My only concern would be how quickly these seats could get stained.

I was pleased to see that Qantas had installed adjustable headrests, as they are not always available, even on aircraft operating longer short-haul routes.

Having tested the sturdy wings, I’m confident that they will help passengers feel comfortable on the longer international routes that these aircraft will operate.

As these planes will operate some of Qantas’ longer short-haul and some mid-haul routes, I was curious to see how much legroom there would be.

As a 5 foot, 8 inch chap, the 30 inches (76.2 centimeters) of pitch left me ample room, and I didn’t feel cramped at all.

Another test to assess how well these aircraft are suited for longer flights is the recline.

I can’t find a precise measurement anywhere online (and I’m not the kind of reviewer who carries a tape measure with me), but I was genuinely impressed with this recline. It looked almost as good (if not better) than some of the premium economy seats I’ve tried in the past!

A USB-A and USB-C port were on the seat back in front of me.

Individual air vents were fully operational before we took off.

Qantas’ Airbus A321XLRs also feature Airspace overhead bins where carry-on-sized cases can be stacked on their side to maximize space utilization.

This isn’t specific to the Airbus A321XLR, but I must give an honorary mention to the complimentary snack and beverage service. It was refreshing to be offered a tasty mini sandwich snack and a drink (including beer and wine), on a flight of just over an hour. You’ll be lucky if you get a tiny cup of water and a biscuit on many other legacy carriers.

Qantas Airbus A321XLRs also feature complimentary Viasat Wi-Fi for all passengers. It might not be Starlink, but I had no issues using my phone as I do on the ground.

Best Ways To Book Qantas Flights

Qantas connects Australia with the U.S. via 7 nonstop routes plus an additional nonstop service from Auckland to New York (JFK).

With Qantas’ membership in the Oneworld alliance, there are several ways to book flights with the airline using points and miles. Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, American Airlines AAdvantage, and The British Airways Club offer great options to consider for award flights to Australia from the U.S.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue Benefits on Qantas Flights

Earlier in the year, Qantas, Air France, and KLM announced an expansion of their partnership, introducing additional codeshares and reciprocal benefits for elite status holders. This is a particularly interesting development, as Air France, KLM, and Qantas belong to different airline alliances.

This presented me with the rare opportunity to choose between using my status with either an Oneworld airline or a SkyTeam airline — in this case, my British Airways Club Silver status (Oneworld Sapphire equivalent) or Flying Blue Platinum (SkyTeam Elite Plus equivalent). I’m no longer actively trying to retain my British Airways status for several reasons, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to test out my Flying Blue Platinum status when flying Qantas.

My Flying Blue Platinum status was matched with Qantas’ Platinum status, which is the equivalent of Oneworld’s highest Emerald status level. In addition to business class lounge access, I was able to board with Priority Group 1, a group that boards earlier than those with British Airways Club Silver status.

I certainly enjoyed the perks that my Flying Blue Platinum status afforded me when flying Qantas. The one main drawback is that the flights didn’t credit in my Flying Blue account, so I didn’t earn any Flying Blue miles or status-qualifying XP points. I hope that the next step includes reciprocal miles and status earning.

Final Thoughts

I like what Qantas has done with its Airbus A321XLRs. The planes are bright and airy, and most importantly, the economy seats were more comfortable than I imagined they’d be.

The recline and padding of the seats were clearly essential factors for Qantas to consider, given that these planes will operate routes of up to several thousand miles.

There’s only so much you can do with an economy seat, and Qantas has ticked every box with its Airbus A321XLR. Will the light grey fabric stand the test of time? Probably not, but that’s a small price to pay for comfort.

I look forward to flying this plane again, but in the meantime, I’ll be back soon with a review of Qantas’ other new aircraft — the Airbus A220 — on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne (MEL).