Airbus A321 — specifications and route economics

Airbus A321 (A321) — up to 220 seats, MTOW 93.5 t, CFM56-5B1. With FlightCost you can calculate any route on this type for free: fuel, airport and air navigation charges, crew, maintenance, leasing and the break-even load factor — with a source for every number.

Drawing

Top view at the same scale as its class neighbours.

Specifications

Economics on Frankfurt — Barcelona

1,093 km along the flight path, 2.1 h block, 80% load factor — 176 of 220 seats (certified maximum), July. Calculated by the FlightCost engine; ownership, maintenance and crew rates are defaults: 31% of the total rests on assumptions.

Types of this class on the same route

Same route, load factor and assumptions — only the aircraft type differs.

Lease rate and maintenance cost: estimates for ownership and upkeep

If you do not enter your own rates, the calculator uses estimates from weight and seat count. These are parametric, not operator data: each one can be replaced in the calculation.

Maintenance by year — US carriers' reports (Form 41)

Maintenance cost per block hour as reported by US carriers flying this type: direct (labour, materials, outside services) and full — with the maintenance department's overheads. Dollars of each year, not restated. 2020 stands above its neighbours: flying dropped, the fixed part of the cost stayed.

2025: direct USD 867, with overheads USD 1,259 per block hour, 6 carriers

Source: BTS, Form 41 Schedule P-5.2; analysis in the “Maintenance” research. →

Price and lease rate from publications

Aircraft list prices, transaction prices and market appraisals are shown separately from monthly lease rates. Each observation includes a date and a source link.