AirAsia has placed a landmark order for 150 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, marking the largest single firm order for the A220 programme and pushing total orders for the aircraft beyond the 1,000-unit milestone.

The agreement was announced at Airbus facilities in Mirabel, Canada during a ceremony attended by AirAsia leadership and senior Canadian officials including Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The deal also makes AirAsia a new customer for the A220 programme and the launch customer for a new 160-seat cabin configuration. The higher seating capacity is achieved through the addition of extra overwing exits.

The new aircraft will support AirAsia’s expansion strategy across ASEAN and Central Asia while allowing larger aircraft in the airline’s fleet to operate longer-range routes.

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said the order reflects the airline’s long-term ambitions and commitment to expanding its low-cost network model.

The Airbus A220-300 is designed to carry between 100 and 160 passengers on routes of up to 3,600 nautical miles while offering lower fuel consumption and operating costs. Airbus said more than 500 A220 aircraft had been delivered worldwide by March 2026.

Like all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is currently capable of operating with up to 50 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel with Airbus aiming for all aircraft to operate on 100 percent SAF by 2030.