Several months ago, Qantas started taking delivery of the Airbus A321XLR, a plane that the airline is using in a somewhat unusual way. Qantas is primarily intending for this plane to be used for domestic operations, to replace the Boeing 737-800. However, the airline is now already scheduling this aircraft on one rather long international flight, and I can’t imagine travelers will be happy about this.
In this post:
Qantas Airbus A321XLR will fly from Brisbane to Manila
As of October 25, 2026, Qantas intends to operate daily nonstop flights between Brisbane (BNE) and Manila (MNL) on the Airbus A321XLR. Up until that point, the flight is operated 5x weekly by the Airbus A330-200. The 3,596-mile flight will operate with the following schedule:
QF97 Brisbane to Manila departing 2:00PM arriving 8:05PM
QF98 Manila to Brisbane departing 9:30PM arriving 7:25AM (+1 day)
The service is blocked at 8hr5min northbound and 7hr55min southbound.
This is interesting, as it’s the longest regularly scheduled narrow body route that Qantas has ever operated. Indeed, this is within range for the A321XLR, and perhaps Manila isn’t Qantas’ highest yield destination. But at the same time, it’s interesting to break from tradition here, as this plane really is designed for short and medium haul operations, based on the interior.
The Qantas A321XLR that will operate this route will boast 197 seats, including 20 business class seats and 177 economy class seats. There’s no seat back entertainment on these planes, but there is free Wi-Fi, at least. Perhaps the daytime flight in one direction isn’t so bad, but the redeye certainly doesn’t sound very pleasant.
This is an interesting direction for Qantas to take
I can of course understand wanting to match the right aircraft type to the right route in terms of demand and yields. The challenge is that this really counters what Qantas customers have been accustomed to. Even when it was possible, with few exceptions, Qantas hasn’t historically operated many routes to Asia with regionally configured aircraft.
What I also find interesting is that the forward cabin is still being marketed as business class, rather than premium economy. In fairness, US carriers also fly two-cabin aircraft on some longer international flights, and sometimes the forward cabin is marketed as business class. However, we have also seen carriers market the forward cabin as premium economy on longer flights.
With this aircraft swap and far inferior product, Qantas isn’t lowering fares for business class. You’ll see that the fare is the same on October 24, when it’s still operated by an A330 with flat beds…
…as it is on October 25, when it’s operated by an A321XLR with recliners.
I have to imagine that deploying the A321XLR to Manila is a bit of a test, to see to what extent customers will tolerate this, vs. booking away and flying another airline instead. This is an interesting first route on which to try this, as the only competitor is Philippine Airlines, with its A321neos featuring flat beds. I suspect that with an Australia point-of-sale, there’s a strong preference for Qantas over Philippine Airlines.
Bottom line
Qantas will begin flying its new Airbus A321XLR on some longer international flights. As of late October 2026, the Brisbane to Manila route will be downgraded from an A330 to an A321neo, though frequencies will be increased. Despite the aircraft change, the airline will keep charging the same business class fares, even though passengers will get recliners without seat back entertainment, compared to flat beds.
What do you make of Qantas’ evolving A321XLR strategy?
This strategy didn't work for VA flying CNS-HND. I'm surprised QF are even trying it. There's no way I'd book them over PR with this offering, and I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for it.
Long(ish) haul I fly business. The lack of a screen and decent seats is a deal breaker.
For 89.84771% of passengers it will make absolutely no difference if they fly the 321 or 330...
They are competing with Cebu Pacific as well with their economy section so that’s not hard to beat in comfort. I’d be going PAL as it is more comfortable.
If the manila route from brisbane return for bussiness class doesnt have flat bed even as a brisbanite i will take flight out od sydney QF 19 to manila and QF 20 return on the larger older plane that has flat beds. I feel they will doom QF97 and QF 98 as a revolt for that stupidity i wont be using it as use this exact route twice per year business without a flat bed is insanity in my opinion. Gold member of over 10 years is not good enough
I fly Sydney to Perth often but no premium economy for 4 to 5 hour flight. Australian government should let international airlines pickup passengers for Sydney and Melbourne as they continue onto NZ and USA.
It's an interesting test case for Qantas. Narrow body in domestic configuration, meh. There are other options. Random date in early November, QF doesn't charge much more via Sydney, SYD-MNL on an A330. Cathay is comparable in economy and two-thirds the price in business, A350 to HKG then A330 to MNL. Still oneworld if that's important to you. Let me think about which to choose. That'll take about two nanoseconds.
China Airlines and Singapore are...
It's an interesting test case for Qantas. Narrow body in domestic configuration, meh. There are other options. Random date in early November, QF doesn't charge much more via Sydney, SYD-MNL on an A330. Cathay is comparable in economy and two-thirds the price in business, A350 to HKG then A330 to MNL. Still oneworld if that's important to you. Let me think about which to choose. That'll take about two nanoseconds.
China Airlines and Singapore are more than CX but still less than QF.
Is it the longest narrowbody ever operated by Qantas? How about the 707 flights to LAX and LHR?
Qantas is dishonest. They should marketed it as C, not J class. Less confusing would be to market it as premium economy. Not surprising, because Australia is a sh*thole country but only slightly so. It's kind of racist. It was settled by a bunch of convicts, so they actually did well, being only slightly, not big time sh*thole
Derek. You’re a moron.
Years of drug abuse is showing.
Unfair to label an entire continent just because a couple of girls (or guys?) didn’t want to go home with you.
There's no denying that they are racists. But be happy that you found your husband there, Mike.
@derek.....Australia is the greatest country in the world. We are utterly blessed to here. Paradise.
You should try the BA flights to Cairo on the A321 Neo with a standard European "Business Class" with regular economy seating and an open middle seat for 6 hours.
To the article writer ... did you by any chance write about the changes to QF FF? I didn't see anything. So many positives and well received overall. Probably too much to expect.
Oh please. Silly comment.
QF have Chairman's Lounge/Club which is exclusive for politicians, CEOs and celebrities. They leverage it in a major way, and thus get most of those travel budgets. It's why they can 'stiff' pax with a toilet ratio of 90:1 (on the first 3 XLR's), ordered because Allan Joyce was out of control with a supplicant board. The fourth and further XLR's have 3 dunnies in economy, but still crap recliners in J. The 16 eventual...
QF have Chairman's Lounge/Club which is exclusive for politicians, CEOs and celebrities. They leverage it in a major way, and thus get most of those travel budgets. It's why they can 'stiff' pax with a toilet ratio of 90:1 (on the first 3 XLR's), ordered because Allan Joyce was out of control with a supplicant board. The fourth and further XLR's have 3 dunnies in economy, but still crap recliners in J. The 16 eventual long haul flat bed XLR's are years out, not even seating selected.
Chairman's Lounge is essentially a domestic product.
You know things are so bad when even Australia's Executive Traveller website (which sold its soul to Qantas a long time ago) has to concede that pax are not gonna be happy riding this on medium haul routes up to Asia which in previous years were served by 787, 767, and 747 back in the day.
Oh please. Silly comment.
Who cares about pax. If they build it, pax will always come.
If I recall over summer when I did ANC/ORD on AA that was blocked at around 8 hours or so. An A321neo and no blankets and pillows in first on over an overnight flight. Did at least get a full hot meal. Seems about the same-no flat bed or IFE on an 8 hour plus flight.
Ahh… oneworld… treatin’ Keys well, it seems… also, summer in Alaska… mosquitoes the size of your hand. If it were winter, you’d really need that blanket.
I imagine this choice was made with the knowledge that they had trouble filling the A330 front cabin profitably on this route. Since a lot of the Philippine economy is based on foreign work and remittances, I suspect this route's biggest demographic is price-sensitive VFR travel.
Obviously this is a lower yield destination , but It’s got more to do with Qantas not having enough a330 aircraft. They have been trying to acquire more a330-300 aircraft second hand and have had the Finnair wet lease arrangement going on.
Still scratching my head as to why they haven’t ordered a330neos as that seems like the perfect option for APAC routes.
The A330s only have 28 (I think?) business class seats so with the increasing frequency to daily that will be the same number of business seats available on a weekly basis.
They should not sell business class on these flights, premium economy at most. I can't see many people paying business class fares for this product, and those who end up on that flight should certainly succeed in getting a fat compensation after filing a complaint with Qantas.
Qantas happily sold business class on 737s Perth to Singapore for years. They have no shame.
And what about carriers in the US selling the forward cabin as First. They should be sued for false advertising. Its beyond pathetic
This looks luxurious compared to European mid haul narrowbody aircraft.
@jay, your comment is right up there, look who is on the QF board of directors, Doug Parker former HP, US, AA CEO
The simple solution to this conundrum is …. choose a better alternative. Pay peanuts, get monkey business. Alternatively, put up and shut up.
How do you do that when the alternative is PAL?
Well said. I gave up on QF years ago when it became evident the Irish Idiot was hell-bent on 'transforming' Qantas into a glorified LCC. These days, QF (and subsidiary JQ) are LAST on my preference list. I'd happily give money to foreign carriers like Singapore, Qatar, Malaysia, Air Niugini, Solomon Airlines, Etihad and Phillipines rather than support an airline which is living on past glory and slick sentimental marketing.
Qantas has really gone the way of American in the last 8-10 years.
Considering that Doug Parker sits on the board...
@Levi
QF took a downward turn under the Irish Idiot Alan Joyce. Doug Parker only came onboard years after the damage was done.
The XLR, the most overrated plane in history. Nobody wants to fly a narrowbody long haul, and now that there's a pilot shortage, higher overall labor shortage, more slot constrained airports, etc., the economics don't make much sense either. Long and thin was a nice thought, but in practice doesn't work well. Probably lots of order cancellations coming.
XLR (and narrowbodies) are just fine. But, they need to put lie-flat, not recliners, up-front.
Agree A321 XLR are fine but they need lie flat beds and seats screens but for Qantas those are not arriving until 2028.
It seems ITA's a321 flat bed product is the only current one that's deemed really correct for international long haul on a 321.
It really challenges whether the XLR can be competitive as the only accepted business class product requires 20% more space than AA's herringbone layout and 100% more space than QF's recliners. And no one flying long haul has selected this less efficient reverse herringbone product.
And IFE monitors in all cabins.
The only other nonstop is a similarly cheaply fitted A321 from PAL, so QF is placing this POS configuation on this route quite strategically
PR has a flat bed in business class, nothing luxurious but you can still get a decent nap in them. No question they are much better than the recliners on QF, and likely way more attractively priced.
Subconscious racism it seems.
Philippines is not a first world nation, so those travelling to and from Manila are used to substandard comfort.
Then again, Philippines Airlines have also used A321 equipment on their scheduled services to the East Coast of Australia in the past.
Perhaps that set the precedent?
Lame. Currently, QF flies a330 with lie-flat on SYD-MNL; to down-gauge to recliners for an 8.5 hour redeye is no fun at all. For an a321XLR, QF should've copied B6 and AA with lie-flat suites up-front.
Yes, many people have their own devices to watch content but I still think it’s ridiculous not to have any seat-back screens on such a long flight.