Airbus A350-1000
The Airbus A350-1000 is the longer, higher-capacity passenger variant of the Airbus A350 twin-engine widebody family. It is certificated as the A350-1041 and is powered by higher-thrust Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. The aircraft first flew in November 2016 and entered service with Qatar Airways in February 2018.[1][2]
Development and certification
Airbus developed the A350-1000 as a seven-metre stretch of the A350-900 for airlines requiring more passenger and cargo capacity while retaining common flight-deck and systems architecture. Airbus reports 95 per cent common system part numbers between the two passenger variants and a common pilot type rating.[1][3]
MSN059, the first of three development aircraft, made the variant's maiden flight from Toulouse on 24 November 2016. It flew for four hours and 18 minutes. The flight-test campaign covered three aircraft and led to joint EASA and FAA type certification on 21 November 2017.[4][1]
Airbus delivered the first A350-1000 to Qatar Airways on 20 February 2018. Configured with 327 seats, it entered commercial service four days later. Qatar had already operated the A350-900, allowing it to introduce the larger variant within the same family framework while accounting for its different engines, landing gear and performance.[2][5]
Design
The A350-1000 retains the A350's carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic fuselage and wing, digital fly-by-wire controls, two-pilot flight deck and 5.96-metre external fuselage width. Its 73.78-metre fuselage is 6.98 metres longer than the A350-900 and provides space for additional seat rows and lower-deck cargo positions.[3]
Wing and landing gear
The two variants have the same published 64.75-metre wingspan, but the -1000 incorporates structural, high-lift and control-law changes for its greater weight. The principal main landing gear has six-wheel bogies on each side, compared with four-wheel bogies on the A350-900. The extra axle helps distribute pavement loads and supports the -1000's higher maximum weights.[1][6]
At 73.78 metres long, the aircraft has different tail-clearance, turning and stand-envelope requirements from the -900. Airport compatibility assessments must use A350-1000 ground-manoeuvring and servicing data rather than relying only on the shared Code E wingspan.[6]
Engines
The A350-1041 uses two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, with a nominal take-off thrust class of 97,000 pounds. The installation is distinct from the Trent XWB-84 family used on the A350-900. EASA's type certificate identifies the approved engine and aircraft model combinations; an engine suffix should be recorded from the airframe's technical records, not inferred beyond the certified family.[7][3]
Cabin and cargo
Airbus's February 2026 planning data gives representative three-class capacities of 375 passengers at nine-abreast economy seating or 400 at ten abreast. The maximum certified capacity is 480. Airline layouts may be substantially lower because of premium cabins, crew rests, galleys, lavatories and exit limits.[3]
The longer fuselage provides up to 44 LD3 container positions in a maximum lower-deck configuration and about 208 cubic metres of usable cargo volume. Passenger baggage and installed equipment reduce the space available for revenue cargo.[3][6]
Weight and range development
Airbus's February 2026 data distinguishes a 308-tonne basic version from a 322-tonne high-gross-weight standard. The corresponding manufacturer range figures are 8,100 and 9,000 nautical miles under its published assumptions. These are not interchangeable figures: payload, fuel capacity, certified weight, reserves and airline configuration determine an individual aircraft's capability.[3]
The higher-weight development also increased published fuel capacity to 168,300 litres. Older sources quote lower maximum weights, fuel volumes and ranges because they describe earlier certification standards. Fleet and comparison pages should date their performance figures and record an aircraft's approved weight standard where known.
A350-1000ULR
Airbus is developing the A350-1000ULR for Qantas's Project Sunrise services between eastern Australia and London and New York. The modification integrates a 20,000-litre rear centre tank, a revised fuel system, galley-cooling changes and cabin environmental-control adaptations.[8]
MSN707, the first of twelve A350-1000ULRs ordered by Qantas, began a dedicated certification campaign with its first flight on 2 June 2026. Airbus said the rear centre tank adds about 1,000 nautical miles of range and is intended to support missions approaching 10,000 nautical miles and 22 hours. The first customer delivery is scheduled for April 2027; as of August 2026 the ULR is therefore a flight-test development, not an in-service variant.[9][8]
The A350-1000ULR is a modified passenger variant rather than the A350F freighter. The freighter has its own structural configuration and development programme and should not be counted as an A350-1000 passenger delivery.[9]
Specifications
| Characteristic | A350-1000 |
| EASA model | A350-1041 |
| Length | 73.78 m |
| Wingspan | 64.75 m |
| Height | 17.08 m |
| External fuselage width | 5.96 m |
| Typical three-class seating | 375 at 9-abreast; 400 at 10-abreast |
| Maximum certified seating | 480 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 308–322 t, depending on version |
| Maximum fuel capacity | Up to 168,300 L |
| Published maximum range | Up to 9,000 nmi for the high-gross-weight standard |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.85 |
| Engines | 2 × Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 |
The values are manufacturer planning data, not a guarantee of airline payload-range performance. Actual capability depends on the approved configuration, operating empty weight, payload, reserves, weather and airport conditions.[3][6]
Production and operators
The A350-1000 is assembled alongside the A350-900 at Toulouse. Airbus's July 2026 summary records 1,601 A350-family orders and 731 deliveries, but combines the passenger variants. Variant-level orders and deliveries should be read from the dated monthly workbook, since conversions between -900 and -1000 orders can change the split.[10]
Qatar Airways was the first operator. The variant has since entered service with airlines including Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Etihad Airways, Japan Airlines, Air Caraïbes and French bee. This list is illustrative rather than a live fleet census. Leased aircraft, temporary storage and customer transfers require registration-level, dated sources.[2][10]
The -1000 is used on high-demand long-haul routes and in both network-carrier and dense leisure configurations. Its additional cabin length also allows an airline to increase premium seating without sacrificing as much total capacity as on the -900. An operator's seat count should therefore be stored as an aircraft- or subfleet-specific configuration rather than as a type-wide fact.
Related pages
Sources
EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet EASA.A.151 — European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Airbus A350 Family facts and figures, February 2026 — Airbus
Airbus A350-1000 receives EASA and FAA Type Certification — Airbus
Airbus delivers its first A350-1000 to Qatar Airways — Airbus