Air India adds more Boeing 737 MAX and upgrades Airbus order to A321XLR
January 30, 2026
Air India is doubling down on its narrowbody transformation, strengthening its grip on the domestic market while quietly extending its reach beyond India’s borders.
The airline has placed a fresh order for Boeing 737 MAX jets and, for the first time, committed to Airbus’s long-range A321XLR, signalling a clear intent to do more with fewer aircraft types.
The decisions reflect a fleet strategy built around flexibility and pace, optimised for India’s relentless short-haul demand and giving Air India the tools to push single-aisle flying onto longer, thinner international routes.
Air India orders more Boeing 737 MAX at Wings India
At the Wings India airshow in Hyderabad, Boeing confirmed that Air India has ordered 30 additional 737 MAX jets, made up of 20 737-8s and 10 737-10s. The deal, which exercises existing options, lifts Air India’s total Boeing order book to almost 200 aircraft across single-aisle and widebody programmes.
According to the manufacturer, the incremental purchase reflects strong confidence in the in-service performance of the 737-8, which Air India plans to continue deploying on high-frequency domestic and short-haul regional routes.
The larger 737-10, meanwhile, is intended to provide higher capacity while maintaining commonality with the rest of the MAX fleet.
Campbell Wilson, Air India’s chief executive and managing director, said the order forms part of a broader fleet strategy designed to position the airline as a “world-class global carrier”, with steady deliveries and fleet renewal planned over the coming years.
Boeing echoed that view, describing the MAX as a cornerstone of Air India’s single-aisle growth as demand continues to surge across India and South Asia.
Boeing’s own market outlook supports that assessment. The airframer forecasts demand for almost 3,300 new aircraft in India and South Asia over the next 20 years, with around 90 per cent of those expected to be single-aisle types.
Air India picks the Airbus A321XLR for long-haul narrowbody flights
Alongside the Boeing announcement, Air India has also taken a significant step on the Airbus side of its narrowbody strategy. The airline has converted 15 A321neo orders to the longer-range A321XLR, marking its first commitment to the type.
The aircraft form part of the major Airbus order placed in 2023, topped up in 2024, covering 300 A320 Family jets and 50 A350 widebodies.
Deliveries of the A321XLRs are expected between 2029 and 2030. With a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles, the type will give Air India the ability to open new nonstop international routes and optimise high-demand medium-haul services using single-aisle economics.
Of the airline’s 300 Airbus single-aisle orders, 210 were originally A321neos, with the remaining 90 A320neos unchanged.
Featured image: Boeing
