Airbus A321 CEO
Airbus · France · first flew 1993 · airliner
The A321 CEO is the stretched member of the original A320 family, accommodating up to 220 passengers in an all-economy layout on a fuselage extended by two plugs fore and aft of the wing.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Longest fuselage in the original A320 family at 44.5m — 6.9m more than the A320, giving a noticeably elongated profile |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Longest fuselage in the original A320 family at 44.5m — 6.9m more than the A320, giving a noticeably elongated profile
- Four overwing emergency exits (two pairs) vs two on the A320 and A319, a direct consequence of increased seating capacity
- Small wingtip fences (not sharklets); CFM56 or IAE V2500 round nacelles; reinforced main undercarriage with twin main-wheel bogies
Distinguished from A320 by its significantly longer fuselage (44.5m vs 37.6m) and four overwing exits; distinguished from A321 NEO by round CFM56/V2500 nacelles and small wingtip fences rather than large sharklets.
Specifications
- The Airbus A321 CEO has a length of 44.5 m (146 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 34.1 m (112 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 829 km/h (515 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 flight crew.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The A321 first flew in March 1993 and entered service with Lufthansa in 1994. Its greater capacity made it attractive for high-density European routes and busy domestic corridors. The strengthened structure and revised wing–fuselage junction required significant redesign beyond a simple stretch.
Variants
The A321-100 was the original short-range version; the A321-200 added centre-section fuel for longer stage lengths and became the dominant variant produced.
Where you'll see it
Widely operated across Europe, Asia and North America with carriers including American Airlines, Lufthansa and Air China; remains in large-scale service alongside its NEO successor.
Related aircraft
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