Air India orders 30 additional Boeing jets, taking total orders to 250

Air India converts order for A321neos to A321XLRs

Air India on Wednesday announced an order for 30 additional Boeing aircraft, comprising 20 737-8 and 10 737-10 jets, taking its total orders with the US aircraft maker to 250.

 

The airline also said it has converted 15 of its existing A321neo orders with European aircraft maker Airbus to the longer-range A321XLR variant, with the conversion announced on the sidelines of Wings India 2026 in Hyderabad.

 

Since its privatisation in January 2022 under the Tata Group, Air India has embarked on an aggressive fleet renewal and expansion programme. In February 2023, the airline placed a record firm order for 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, including 250 Airbus jets — covering A320neo-family narrowbodies and A350 widebodies — and 220 Boeing aircraft comprising 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner, and 777X models.

 

This was followed in December 2024 by an additional firm order for 100 Airbus aircraft, including 90 A320-family narrowbodies and 10 A350 widebodies.

 

With the latest Boeing order and the A321XLR conversions, Air India’s post-privatisation firm aircraft commitments now stand at around 600 aircraft, among the largest order books in global aviation.

 

Air India said its order for single-aisle aircraft with the European aircraft maker stands at 300 planes, including 210 A321neo and 90 A320neo jets. The airline has now converted 15 of the A321neo aircraft into the longer-range A321XLR variant, while the rest of the orders remain unchanged. These 15 A321XLR aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2029 and 2030.

 

The A321XLR, part of Airbus’s successful A320neo family, can fly up to 8,700 km while using less fuel and producing fewer emissions. This longer range will allow Air India to launch new non-stop international routes and operate busy medium-haul international flights more efficiently, offering the economics of a single-aisle aircraft while maintaining passenger comfort and performance closer to a widebody, the airline said.