Airbus A320 family: European narrow-body jet airliner

Airbus A320ceo/neo Airbus A320 (F-WWAI): First A320 ever built. Aeroscopia museum (France) The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body passenger aircraft developed and manufactured by Airbus. It is the best-selling passenger aircraft in history. The A320 programme was launched in March 1984. The maiden flight took place on 22 February 1987, and in April 1988 the aircraft was delivered to Air France. The original A320 was followed by the longer A321, launched in January 1994, the shorter A319 in April 1996, and the most compact A318 in July 2003. The A318 is currently assembled in Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Tianjin (China). Since April 2016, it has also been produced in the US, in Mobile, Alabama, and other cities across the country. Airbus twin-engine aircraft, with the exception of the A318, are equipped with CFM56-5A/5B or IAE V2500 turbofan engines. The A318 can be fitted with either two CFM56-5Bs or two PW6000s instead of the V2500. This family was the first to introduce a digital flight control system and side-stick control in passenger aircraft. The variants offer a maximum take-off weight of between 68 and 93.5 tonnes and a range of between 5,740 and 6,940 kilometres. Airbus A321-231 (EC-MGY) Vueling in Barcelona airport In December 2010, Airbus unveiled the upgraded A320neo (new engine option), which entered service with Lufthansa in January 2016. Improved engines and sharklet wing tips deliver up to 15% fuel savings. The previous generation of the A320 was renamed the A320ceo (current engine option). American Airlines is the largest operator (489 aircraft), whilst IndiGo is the largest customer (930). As of March 2026, a total of 19,971 A320 aircraft have been ordered, of which 12,553 have already been delivered. In October 2019, the A320 overtook the Boeing 737 in terms of orders, and in September 2025, in terms of deliveries. The main competitors of the Airbus A320: Boeing 737 family — the main rival due to its reliability, ease of maintenance and upgradeability. COMAC C919 — a Chinese aircraft with a capacity of 156–192 passengers, powered by CFM International LEAP 1C engines. Airbus A220 (formerly Bombardier CSeries) — a Canadian aircraft with a capacity of 130–190 passengers, acquired by Airbus in 2017. Embraer E-Jet — a Brazilian project with a capacity of 180–240 passengers. MC-21, Tupolev Tu-204 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 — Russian aircraft being considered in the context of import substitution. Airbus A321-271NX (9H-WMH) Wizz Air Malta in El Prat (Barcelona, Spain) Variants The basic A320 model formed the basis for an entire family of aircraft sharing the same design but with different passenger capacities. The A318 can carry up to 100 passengers, whilst the A321 can carry up to 220. These aircraft compete with the Boeing 737, 757 and 717. Thanks to the identical cockpit, the pilot qualifications required to fly all four variants of the A320 are the same. Today, all models are available in a corporate version. There is also an A319LR variant and military versions, such as the A319 MPA. Officially, the name ‘A320’ refers only to the original medium-sized aircraft. However, it is often used to refer to the entire A318/A319/A320/A321 family. Since 2004 (EASA) and 2006 (FAA), all models have held ETOPS certification, allowing them to fly for up to 180 minutes without refuelling. A318 The Airbus A318, known as the “Baby Bus,” is the most compact aircraft in the A320 family. It seats up to 132 passengers and has a range of up to 5,700 kilometres. The A318 first took to the skies in July 2003 and became part of the Frontier Airlines fleet. The A318 is certified for steep approach landings. This allows it to land at airports with short runways, such as London City Airport. However, compared to other models in the A320 family, the A318 has been sold in small numbers. As of 31 October 2015, only 80 orders had been placed. In 2018, its average price was US$77.4 million. A319 The A319 is 3.73 metres shorter than the A320. It is a shortened version of the A320 with minimal modifications: four wing spars have been removed from the front of the wing and three from the rear. With the same fuel tank capacity as the A320-200 and a lower passenger capacity (up to 160 in a single class), the range is 6,650 kilometres or 6,850 kilometres with ‘sharklets’. Four engine options are available for the A319: the IAE V2500 with a thrust of 102.5–110.3 kN or the CFM56 with a thrust of 98–120 kN. Although these engines are identical to those fitted to the A320, their thrust is reduced due to the A319’s lower maximum take-off weight. The A319 was developed at the request of ILFC. The company became the aircraft’s first customer, ordering six A319s by 1993. Anticipating orders from Swissair and Alitalia, Airbus launched the programme on 10 June 1993. Final assembly of the first aircraft began on 23 March 1995, and the maiden flight with Swissair took place in April 1996. A total of 1,460 A319ceo aircraft were delivered. In 2018, the price of an A319 was $92.3 million. ACJ319 The A319CJ, known as the ACJ319 since 2014, is a corporate version of the A319 aircraft, which can accommodate up to 39 passengers. It is equipped with removable auxiliary fuel tanks (up to six in the central section) and an increased service ceiling of 12,500 metres. With eight passengers and the additional tanks, the range is up to 11,000 kilometres. A319neo The A319neo short-fuselage variant is designed to carry up to 160 passengers or up to 140 passengers in a two-class configuration. It has a range of up to 3,750 nautical miles and offers improved take-off performance. The ACJ variant is capable of carrying eight passengers over a distance of up to 6,750 nautical miles. The maiden flight of the A319neo powered by CFM LEAP engines took place on 31 March 2017. By 21 December 2018, the aircraft had received FAA/EASA type certification, enabling it to enter service in the first half of 2019. At that time, 17 had been ordered with LEAP engines and 36 without specifying the engine type. In 2018, the price of the A319neo was US$101.5 million. Interest in the A319neo was low, and by January 2019, orders for it lagged significantly behind those for the A220. A320 The A320 series comprised two variants: the A320-100 and the A320-200. The maximum passenger capacity is 180. The Airbus A320-100 is the entry-level model in the Airbus A320 family of narrow-body aircraft. It is a medium-range passenger airliner developed by the European consortium Airbus S.A.S. The aircraft was designed for short-haul routes (up to 3,500 kilometres) and had a smaller fuel capacity to reduce weight. Key differences from subsequent variants: No wingtip fences, which reduce fuel consumption during level flight. Lower maximum take-off weight (MTOW) — 68 tonnes (compared to 79 tonnes for the A320-200). The Airbus A320-200 is a popular narrow-body medium-range aircraft developed by the European consortium Airbus. This model is designed for short- and medium-haul flights. Key features: Fly-by-wire control system: instead of a traditional control column, the cockpit is fitted with two control sticks that transmit commands to a computer. The computer calculates the course changes, and the signal is sent to the hydraulic rudder actuators. Composite materials: around 20% of the aircraft’s structure is made of composites. The wing and tail are made entirely from these materials, making the aircraft lighter and more fuel-efficient. Winglets: the extended wing tips improve aerodynamics, reduce fuel consumption and optimise take-off. In 2018, the average price of an A320 was US$101 million. A320neo The first Airbus A320neo rolled off the production line in Toulouse on 1 July 2014, and its maiden flight took place on 25 September of the same year. Joint certification from EASA and the FAA was granted on 24 November 2015. Twenty-eight years after the A320’s debut, on 25 January 2016, the new aircraft entered service with Lufthansa — the model’s first customer. The A320neo has a range of 6,300 km. After a year of operation, Lufthansa confirmed a 20% increase in efficiency per passenger with a capacity of up to 180 seats, as well as reductions in noise levels and CO2 emissions. Operators report a 15% fuel saving per seat, which can reach 20% on long-haul routes. In 2018, the price stood at $110.6 million. A321 The A320 entered service in 1988. Its first variant, the A321, was introduced at the same time. The fuselage was lengthened by 6.93 metres, of which 4.27 metres were added to the forward section before the wing and 2.67 metres to the rear section. The maximum take-off weight increased to 83 tonnes. To maintain flight performance, double-slotted flaps were fitted and the wing area was increased to 128 m². The prototype’s maiden flight took place on 11 March 1993. The A321-100 entered service in January 1994 with Lufthansa. As the range of the A321-100 was shorter than that of the A320, development of the heavier and longer-range A321-200 began in 1995. The increased range was achieved through engines with greater thrust, structural reinforcement and additional fuel tanks. The fuel tank capacity increased to 30,030 litres, and the maximum take-off weight to 93,000 kg. The maiden flight took place in December 1996, and the aircraft entered service with Monarch Airlines in April 1997. The A321’s main competitors from Boeing are the 737-900/900ER and the 757-200. In 2018, the price of the A321 was US$118.3 million. A total of 1,784 A321ceo units have been delivered. Airbus A320-251N (CS-TVH) Tap Air Portugal. Photo: Enzo Rodrigues A321neo The A321neo is the same length as the A321ceo, but features reinforced landing gear and wings, an increased wing loading, and other minor modifications associated with its higher maximum take-off weight. ILFC was the first customer. The A321neo prototype made its maiden flight on 9 February 2016. The first A321neo, leased by GECAS, was delivered to Virgin America in Hamburg. It seats 184 passengers and is equipped with LEAP engines. The aircraft entered service in May 2017. Airbus A320-232 (EC-MKN) Vueling Airlines A321LR In October 2014, Airbus unveiled the A321LR (Long Range) variant with an extended range. This variant is designed for a maximum take-off weight of 97 tonnes and is equipped with three additional fuel tanks. It is capable of covering a distance of 7,400 km with 206 passengers in two classes. A321XLR In January 2018, Airbus was considering the A321LR project with an increased maximum take-off weight. The A321XLR aircraft was first unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2019. From 2023, its range was 8,700 km. To achieve this, a new fixed rear centre tank (RCT) was installed, the landing gear was reinforced to withstand a maximum take-off weight of 101 tonnes, and the configuration of the flaps on the trailing edge of the wing was optimised to improve take-off performance. Airbus A320-232 (EC-OKH) Vueling Characteristics Manufacturer: Airbus SE Assembly: Toulouse (France) / Hamburg (Germany) / Tianjin (China) / Mobile (United States) First flight: 22 February 1987 Years of production: 1986—2021 / 2016— Production: 12,553 (all modifications) Length: 31.44 m (103 ft 2 in) – 44.51 m (146 ft 0 in) Wingspan: 34.10 m (111 ft 11 in) / 35.8 m (117 ft 5 in) Height: 12.56 m (41 ft 2 in) / 11.76 m (38 ft 7 in) Crew: 2 Capacity: 132–235 passengers Powerplant: 2× CFM56-5B / PW6000A / IAE V2500-A5 Maximum speed: 872 km/h (471 kn) Range: ≤5900 km (3200 nmi) Service ceiling: ≤12,500 m (41,000 ft) Empty weight: 34.5 t (76,000 lb) – 47.5 t (105,000 lb) See also Transport blog See also Cars blog See also Motorcycles blog See also Buses blog See also Shipbuilding blog See also Motors and Engines blog See also Trains and railways blog See also Trucks and Cargo Vehicles blog See also Tractors and Special Equipment blog See also Tanks and Armored Vehicles See also Airplanes blog See also Helicopters blog See also Artillery, Missiles and Rockets blog See also Bicycles blogThe post Airbus A320 family: European narrow-body jet airliner first appeared on All PYRENEES.