In Photos: United’s First A321XLR Maiden Flight, Lufthansa Centennial Livery

‍HAMBURG — On April 29, Airbus’ Hamburg-Finkenwerder site hosted two notable events. United Airlines’ (UA) first Airbus A321XLR, N64321, completed its inaugural flight, while a Lufthansa (LH) A321neo in anniversary livery was also present.

Flight data indicates UA’s aircraft, test-registered D-AZWM (MSN 12581), operated XFW-HAM-XFW from 13:19 to 16:11 UTC.

United’s A321XLR milestone is particularly significant. This aircraft is the first of 50 A321XLRs ordered from Airbus and moves UA closer to introducing the type later this year.

In March, UA announced the A321XLR will replace some Boeing 757s on current international routes and will later serve new destinations in Europe and South America. The aircraft will feature 32 premium seats, 16 more than the 757s it replaces.

The A321XLR is increasingly important for serving thinner long-haul markets. According to Airbus, the aircraft offers up to 4,700 nautical miles of range and had received over 500 orders by the end of March 2026.

This allows airlines to operate routes that are not viable for widebodies but exceed the range of standard narrowbodies.

Lufthansa A321neo in anniversary livery

The LH aircraft provides a visual highlight. In March, LH announced that one of its A321neos would feature a special livery for the airline’s 100th anniversary, displaying employee-selected stories under the motto “Made by many. Remembered by all.”

The design includes 12 selected motifs, and the aircraft is named “Hamm.”