Airbus delivers its 500th A350 XWB, an A350-900 for Iberia

225 million passengers, more than 900 routes and over 400 orders in the backlog. At the end of September 2022, Airbus celebrates its 500th A350 delivery with an aircraft for Iberia. With this milestone, the A350 Family is continuing to spread its wings to all corners of the world. Check it out! 

A growing versatile family

The 500th A350 – an A350-900 – was recently delivered to Iberia, a major European customer with 20 A350s on order and 14 in service. Beyond a symbol, the 500th A350 marks an important milestone for Airbus and its growing versatile family, now including the A350-900, the A350-1000 and the newest Airbus freighter A350F. With enhanced performance, 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions and 50% less noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft, the A350 family continuously attracts operators 8 years after its entry-into-service offering both high versatility – up to 9,700nm/18 000 km – and efficiency.

“When we designed the A350 and delivered the first one, we were extremely proud to have created a real clean sheet, state-of-the-art aircraft, delivering unmatched performance and economics. It offers outstanding space, comfort and quietness to the passengers, and it contributes significantly to decarbonising aviation. The A350 is providing today a versatile platform to support our customers’ strategy in front of a more and more complex environment,” says Philippe Mhun, EVP Programmes and Services at Airbus.

Introducing the A350 new Production Standard

This 500th delivery also marks the introduction of the new Production Standard 2022 which brings additional performance and cabin improvements for both A350-900 and A350-1000. Compared to previous standards, it brings a weight reduction of up to 1.2 tonnes by optimising systems and structures and increasing the use of advanced materials which already represent more than 70% of the aircraft. The Maximum Takeoff Weight is also increased by 3 tonnes allowing each model to maintain its maximum range capability, beyond 8,000nm, while carrying an increased payload. The new standard comes with a wider interior cabin at armest level. This increase in cabin space allows airlines the flexibility to offer more than 30 additional seats in a typical 3-class configuration.

A new favourite to meet sustainability goals for operators

These improvements provide operators with increased profitability and flexibility, while offering passengers more space and comfort in the quietest cabin of its category. It also positions the A350 platform ready for future trends including decarbonisation solutions, a key driver for operators. Many airlines across the world including the latest A350 operators – ITA Airways, Frenchbee, Worldf2Fly, Turkish Airlines, Air Caraibes and SAS – have selected the A350 to reach their environmental targets, as part of a collective effort with many other customers to lead the aerospace industry’s decarbonisation journey.

To date, the A350 Family flies in the liveries of 39 airlines on over 900 routes worldwide.