New Airbus A220 In 2027

Airbus is moving ahead with the release of an updated A220 by 2027 as part of an enhancement to the program.

The planemaker confirmed that even though the A220 has been consistently a passenger favourite, there’s room to evolve the aircraft and take it to the required next level.

As part of this, Airbus is bringing Airspace to the series with the award-winning design to begin being implemented on deliveries in 2026 and beyond.

The change will see the cabin boast innovative features that raise passenger satisfaction levels, aligning the product with other Airbus aircraft families, such as the much larger A350, A330neo, and even the A320neo.

As part of the Airspace cabin, Airbus says that features include XL bins, which are 20% lighter but also offer a 15% increase in bag capacity, allowing for more carry-on bags to be brought onto the aircraft.

Additionally, lighting features will be installed with 16 million LED Colours, allowing the cabin to be colour-coordinated in the respective airline’s branding and also changed during phases of the flight.

While Airbus is committed to offering the Airspace cabin across new A220 deliveries, it states that retrofit options will become available for existing A220 customers in the coming years.

Alongside the announcement that Airspace will arrive on the A220, the planemaker confirmed the launch of its 160-seater -300, which is scheduled to arrive in 2027 and increase maximum capacity by around 10 seats.

In a single-class layout, it is typical to see the aircraft equipped with 146 seats due to certification requirements.

However, now a 160-seat variant can become a reality, giving customers the lightest possible increase in capacity across their single-aisle flights to boost revenues and make the program all the more appealing.

What About The A220-500?

The adoption of Airspace for the A220 family and the higher-capacity model, formally arriving in 2027, also comes at a point where the program has been in the headlines.

Jon Ostrower of The Air Current recently sat down with the planemaker’s CEO to shine the limelight on the powerhouse regional jet.

Much of the attention centred around the A220-500, a prospective variant which has attracted much interest from analysts and airlines looking to evolve their commitment to the product.

As part of those conversations, Guillaume Fuary, the CEO, said that achieving profitability on the program will be directly tied to the launch of a new model.

The program has since forever struggled for profitability, and Airbus believes moving ahead with an all-new endeavour would be a mistake under the current status of the jet.

Airbus is attempting to reach profitability, but it has not been an easy feat. Many perceive the planned increase in production of the single-aisle jet as crucial for the launch of the A220-500 at some point, as that would enable the program to return on its investment.

The A220-500 has already attracted strong interest from airlines around the world, with Breeze Airways and airBaltic leading the way in championing the launch of the jet.

While the program already has two models, for some airlines, the jump to the A320neo series cannot be justified. For many, introducing a new fleet type only adds complexity to the fleet composition, and if possible, it will be avoided more often than not.

Therefore, for the A220 to offer more capacity through a new variant, it becomes a logical purchase for these airlines, which are studying something such as this.