AirAsia has placed a firm order for 150 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, the largest single firm order ever recorded for the type. The agreement was signed on 6 May 2026 at the Airbus assembly site in Mirabel, Quebec, and pushes the A220 programme past the 1,000 firm order milestone, according to Airbus.
The deal was formalised by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer of Capital A and Advisor to the AirAsia Group, and Lars Wagner, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier Christine Frechette attended the ceremony, reflecting the importance of the A220 programme to the Quebec aerospace sector.
AirAsia becomes a new operator of the A220 family and the launch customer for a new 160 seat cabin layout. Airbus said the additional capacity, ten more seats than the previous high density configuration, is enabled by an extra overwing exit on each side of the aircraft. First deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.
Fit with the AirAsia network
AirAsia currently operates a fleet of around 250 Airbus aircraft, drawn primarily from the A320 family. The A220-300 sits below the A320neo in capacity, carrying between 100 and 160 passengers on routes of up to 6,700 kilometres. According to Airbus, the aircraft will support AirAsia’s growth across ASEAN and into Central Asia while freeing larger aircraft for longer routes.
“The A220 unlocks new markets and routes and brings us closer to building the world’s first true low-cost network carrier.” — Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Advisor to AirAsia Group
Mirabel takes the production
Airbus confirmed that all 150 aircraft will be assembled at Mirabel, the company’s dedicated A220 site for non US customers. The facility currently employs close to 5,000 people. By the end of March 2026, 501 A220s had been delivered to 25 operators worldwide. With the AirAsia signature, total firm orders for the type now stand at approximately 1,100 aircraft.
“The A220 will provide an optimal platform for AirAsia, combining low operating costs with the range that will enable the carrier to open new routes across Asia and beyond.” — Lars Wagner, CEO Commercial Aircraft, Airbus
Commercial terms and what comes next
Neither Airbus nor AirAsia disclosed the value of the contract. The published list price for the A220-300 is 91.5 million US dollars per aircraft, although large orders of this nature typically attract significant discounts. Like every Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already certified to fly with up to fifty per cent sustainable aviation fuel, with a target of full SAF compatibility across the Airbus range by 2030.
MyAviation Magazine will continue to follow the order through to first delivery in 2028, with further reporting on cabin configuration, route launches and the wider implications for low cost operations across the Asia Pacific region.
