Today, United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL), American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL), and Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) operate hundreds of Boeing (NYSE: BA) 757 and Boeing 767 jets, with transatlantic flights being the most prominent use case. However, these planes are aging, leading to lots of speculation about how the three legacy carriers would replace them.
Until recently, there were no direct replacements available for either model. The Boeing 737 MAX 10 and Airbus (OTC: EADSY) A321neo are similar in size to the 757-200 but don't have enough range for most transatlantic routes. Even the smallest Boeing 787 Dreamliner variant is larger than the most popular 767 model (the 767-300ER). The Dreamliner also has far more range than is needed for transatlantic routes, adding unnecessary costs.
However, Airbus began selling an ultra-long-range version of the A321neo earlier this year: the A321XLR. It has been racking up orders quickly. Last week, United Airlines jumped on the bandwagon, ordering 50 Airbus A321XLRs. This could be the final nail in the coffin for Boeing's proposed "NMA" (new midsize airplane) concept, which would have filled a similar niche.