Reading level:

Airbus A350

Airbus · Long-haul widebody airliner · Multi-national · Digital Age (2010–present)

Airbus A350 — Long-haul widebody airliner
Open in interactive gallery →See aircraft like this on the live radar →

The Airbus A350 is a long-haul widebody airliner built by Airbus at Toulouse, France, and the most commercially successful new airliner of the 2010s. Launched as a clean-sheet design in 2006 after an earlier A330-derivative proposal failed to attract firm orders, the A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) was Airbus's answer to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and positioned to challenge the Boeing 777 on the longest intercontinental routes. The prototype first flew on 14 June 2013 from Toulouse, received EASA type certification in September 2014, and entered revenue service with Qatar Airways on the Doha–Frankfurt route in January 2015.

Composites make up 53 percent of the A350's airframe by weight — carbon-fibre reinforced polymer in the fuselage barrel, wings, and empennage — compared with 50 percent for the 787. The cross-section is 18 ft 8 in (5.69 m) wide, accommodating a nine-abreast 3-3-3 economy layout with 18-inch seat widths. Two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engines, each producing 84,200 lbf of thrust, power the baseline A350-900 to 591 mph (Mach 0.89) and a range of 9,600 miles. The A350-1000 uses the uprated Trent XWB-97 at 97,000 lbf, extending range beyond 9,700 miles with a fuselage stretched by 24 ft over the -900 baseline.

The A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range), a 270-seat variant with 5,000 additional pounds of fuel, entered service with Singapore Airlines in October 2018 and holds the world record for the longest scheduled non-stop flight: Singapore–New York JFK at 9,534 miles in up to 18 hours 45 minutes. That route, once flown by the Airbus A340-500, is now operated solely by the A350-9ULR, which burns 25 percent less fuel per seat than its predecessor. More than 710 A350s had been delivered to over 50 airlines by 2026, with Singapore Airlines the largest operator at over 80 frames.

Airbus launched the A350F freighter in July 2021 to compete with the Boeing 777X freighter programme. The A350F uses a 70.8 m fuselage with an aft cargo door, offering 109 tonnes of payload — more than any twin-engine freighter in service. FedEx and Air Lease Corporation placed early orders. A now-cancelled A350-800, 3.8 m shorter than the -900, was replaced in demand by the A330neo family before Airbus formally cancelled it in 2014.

In the cabin, the A350 introduced 1,200 ft/min ventilation rates with higher humidity than aluminium-fuselage aircraft, LED ambient lighting with 16.7 million colour combinations, and a cockpit shared with the A380 — common type rating cuts airline training costs. Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines have used the A350-1000 on ultra-long-haul business-class-only configurations. The German Air Force operates two A350s as ACJ350 VIP transports for heads of state.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Airbus A350 is a giant passenger jet built in France. It carries up to 325 people on very long trips between countries. The jet is so large it is longer than a school bus is long — over 65 metres from nose to tail.

What makes this aircraft special is its skin. About half the plane is built from tough carbon fibre instead of aluminium. Carbon fibre is lighter and stronger. This helps the plane burn less fuel and travel farther on each tank. It can fly non-stop from one side of the world to the other without stopping to refuel.

Two giant engines sit under the wings. They are called Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Each one pushes with a force as heavy as three large trucks. The engines are very quiet compared to older jets. Passengers inside can have a normal conversation without raising their voices.

The longest A350 flight in the world goes from Singapore to New York. It takes about 19 hours and crosses more than 15,000 kilometres of ocean and land. Pilots swap halfway so they can rest. By 2026, more than 710 of these aircraft had been delivered to airlines around the world.

Fun Facts

  • The A350's nose to tail is longer than a school bus — over 65 metres for the baseline model.
  • Half the A350's body is made from carbon fibre, which is lighter and stronger than the aluminium used in older jets.
  • The A350 can fly non-stop from Singapore to New York — about 15,000 kilometres — without refuelling.
  • Each Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine produces a push force heavier than three large trucks combined.
  • More than 710 A350s had been delivered to airlines around the world by 2026.
  • The A350 cockpit is shared with the Airbus A380 — pilots can fly both types after a short extra training course.
  • A special 'ultra long range' version carries extra fuel so it can fly the world's longest scheduled passenger route.

Kids’ Questions

Why is the A350 made from carbon fibre?

Carbon fibre is stronger than steel but much lighter. Using it to build the body and wings of the A350 means the whole plane weighs less. A lighter plane needs less fuel to fly. Less fuel means the plane costs less to run and can fly farther before it needs to land and refuel.

How can a plane fly for nearly 19 hours without stopping?

The special ultra long range version of the A350 carries extra tanks full of fuel. The plane is also very light for its size because of the carbon fibre body. Two pilots take turns in the cockpit so each can rest and sleep. The plane carries enough food and water for all the passengers for the whole trip.

How big is the A350 compared to a school bus?

The A350 is much bigger than a school bus. A standard school bus is about 12 metres long. The A350 is more than 65 metres long — that is longer than five school buses lined up in a row. Its wings stretch even wider than its body is long.

Variants

A350-900
Baseline variant. Two Trent XWB-84 engines at 84,200 lbf each; 325 passengers in typical three-class layout; range 9,600 miles; 219 ft fuselage. Launch customer Qatar Airways, January 2015.
A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range)
Extra fuel tanks, maximum take-off weight raised to 308,000 kg, 270 seats. Singapore Airlines Singapore–New York JFK non-stop, 9,534 miles in up to 18 h 45 min, from October 2018.
A350-1000
Stretched variant 7.37 m longer than the -900. Trent XWB-97 engines at 97,000 lbf. Range exceeds 9,700 miles; 369 passengers in typical three-class. Qatar Airways launch customer, February 2018.
A350F (Freighter)
Dedicated widebody freighter with aft main-deck cargo door and 109-tonne payload. No passengers. FedEx and Air Lease Corporation are launch customers; deliveries from late 2025.
ACJ350 (Airbus Corporate Jet)
Long-range private and VIP transport version with custom interior. Operated by the German Air Force for heads-of-state travel and by private charter operators.
A350-800 (cancelled)
Shortened -900 derivative planned for thin long-haul routes. Cancelled in 2014 as the A330neo family offered an economical alternative with existing operators.

Notable Operators

Singapore Airlines
Largest A350 operator with more than 80 aircraft, including the full A350-900ULR fleet used on the world's longest non-stop routes to New York JFK and Los Angeles.
Qatar Airways
Launch customer, receiving the first A350-900 in January 2015 and the first A350-1000 in February 2018. Fleet of over 60 A350s serving intercontinental routes from Doha.
Cathay Pacific
Third-largest A350 operator, using both -900 and -1000 variants on long-haul flights from Hong Kong to Europe, North America, and Australia.
Japan Airlines
Operates A350-900s on domestic trunk routes (Tokyo–Sapporo, Tokyo–Fukuoka) in an unusual deployment for a widebody, citing fuel savings over its ageing 777 domestic fleet.
Lufthansa Group
Operates A350-900s across Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian Airlines on European flag-carrier intercontinental services to Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Airbus A350 different from older long-haul airliners?

The A350 uses composites for 53 percent of its structure by weight — primarily carbon-fibre reinforced polymer — compared with 10–20 percent on aluminium-primary aircraft like the Boeing 767. This cuts structural weight, lowers fuel burn by around 25 percent per seat compared with the aircraft it replaced, and allows the fuselage to hold cabin air at higher humidity without corrosion risk. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB is the most fuel-efficient large turbofan engine in service, giving the A350 a seat-mile cost advantage over four-engine widebodies.

What is the longest non-stop flight operated by the A350?

Singapore Airlines operates the world's longest non-stop scheduled route with the A350-900ULR: Singapore–New York JFK at 9,534 miles, taking up to 18 hours 45 minutes eastbound. The same aircraft also flies Singapore–Los Angeles at around 8,700 miles. The ULR variant carries additional fuel tanks and is configured for 67 business-class and 94 premium-economy seats, with no economy cabin, to keep weight low enough for the distance (Singapore Airlines fleet fact).

How does the A350-1000 differ from the A350-900?

The A350-1000 is 7.37 m (24 ft) longer than the -900, carrying up to 369 passengers in a typical three-class layout versus 325 on the -900. It uses Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines at 97,000 lbf of thrust, versus the -900's Trent XWB-84 at 84,200 lbf. The -1000 competes directly with the Boeing 777-300ER and positions as a lower-capacity alternative to the 777-9.

How many Airbus A350s have been delivered?

More than 710 A350s had been delivered to over 50 airlines by early 2026, making it one of the fastest-selling widebody types in Airbus history. The Iberia-delivered aircraft in September 2022 was the 500th airframe. The order backlog stood at roughly 550 further aircraft, with deliveries running at around 70–80 per year.

Why was the Airbus A350-800 cancelled?

The A350-800 was designed as a smaller, shorter-range sibling for thin long-haul routes but attracted only 16 firm orders. Airlines that wanted a lighter widebody for thinner routes turned instead to the upgraded Airbus A330neo, which offered lower development risk, lower list price, and existing type ratings. Airbus formally cancelled the -800 in February 2014, redirecting resources to the higher-selling -900 and -1000.

What cockpit does the Airbus A350 use?

The A350 uses the same fly-by-wire side-stick cockpit layout and avionics architecture as the Airbus A380, with six large LCD displays and a common type rating between the two types. Pilots certified on the A380 can transition to the A350 (and vice versa) with a short difference course rather than a full type-rating course, reducing training costs for airlines that operate both types.

Sources

See Also