Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR, becoming the first airline in the Middle East and Africa to take delivery of the extra long-range narrow-body aircraft, according to the company. The milestone, said the company, supports Saudia’s fleet growth program and reflects its continued investment in advanced aircraft models that enhance operational efficiency, guest experience and sustainability performance.

With a range of up to 5,400 miles and a flight duration of up to nine hours, the A321XLR, said an announcement, gives Saudia greater flexibility to operate longer international routes with the efficiency of a narrow-body aircraft. This capability, said the announcement, enables Saudia to expand international connectivity more efficiently, aligning aircraft capacity to market demand while maintaining a high-quality onboard experience.

The aircraft also marks the first delivery to feature core elements of “The New Saudia Experience,” Saudia’s new onboard offering focused on comfort, connectivity, entertainment, dining and service consistency. The cabin is configured with 24 Business Class suites, alongside 120 Guest Class seats featuring enhanced seat design, 13-inch personal entertainment screens and convenient charging ports.

Further enhancing the onboard experience, said the announcement, the aircraft will be equipped with high-speed inflight connectivity designed to support browsing, live streaming, virtual meetings and access to major entertainment platforms.

Ibrahim Al-Omar, director general of Saudia Group, said the delivery of the A321XLR “reflects the momentum of Saudia’s ongoing transformation.” As the airline continues to grow its fleet, he said, “our focus is not only on adding capacity, but on investing in aircraft, products and capabilities that strengthen Saudia’s competitiveness and support the Kingdom’s aviation ambitions.”