A new extra long-range aircraft is set to redraw the budget holiday map, after Wizz Air announced its plans to put the Airbus A321XLR into operation by March 2025.

Wizz will fly the A321XLR from London Gatwick to Jeddah from March 31, 2025, with tickets starting from £134.99 one-way. The low-cost airline will also base one in Italy, operating daily flights between Milan Malpensa and Abu Dhabi, from June next year.

Airbus says the single-aisle aircraft has a maximum non-stop flying range of 11 hours (4,700 nautical miles), although Wizz will be using the A321XLR to a limit of eight hours, up from its existing maximum flight time of six hours. Here’s what we know about the aircraft set to transform the budget holiday map.

What is the A321XLR?

The Airbus A321XLR is effectively the same aircraft as the A321neo, but with an extra fuel tank allowing the plane to fly for longer. This is the widest of any single-aisle aircraft, with a capacity of 244 passengers, although it is up to airlines whether they kit out the plane with long-haul comforts like reclining seats, entertainment units and premium cabins. Wizz has no such plans, despite its Jeddah to Gatwick service being an overnight flight.