Qantas’ newest Airbus A321XLR has rolled out of Airbus’ paint shop in Hamburg, Germany, showcasing livery inspired by the Great Barrier Reef.
Named Coral Sea, the aircraft is the seventh of 48 next generation A321XLRs Qantas has on order and will be flown home to Australia by Qantas pilots next month.
The A321XLR is the newest addition to Qantas’ fleet and can fly more than 3,000 kilometres further than the Boeing 737 aircraft it replaces. Qantas became the first airline in Asia Pacific to operate the aircraft type when its first aircraft, Great Ocean Road, entered service in September 2025.
It follows Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudia has welcoming its first Airbus A321XLR recently, just a day after Qantas announced its first Airbus A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise had been delayed.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most iconic tourism destinations, welcoming more than 2.3 million visitors last year and benefitting businesses and communities across Queensland.
The Qantas Group operates more than 1,600 domestic and international return services in and out of Queensland every week. Last year, total visitor expenditure in Queensland topped more than $44 billion – or $121 million a day.
The eye-catching livery inspired by one of the seven natural wonders of the world on Qantas’ Coral Sea A321XLR spans both sides of the 44 metre-long aircraft, with the design a collaborative effort that celebrates Qantas’ long-term partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. It features sea turtles, clownfish and coral from the reef, rendered in bold, bright colours across the fuselage.
Qantas has partnered with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation since 2009 and has committed $10 million over 10 years, through the Reef Restoration Fund, to help support scientists, Traditional Owners and local tourism operators seeking to restore corals across the Great Barrier Reef and other Australian coral reefs.
“Few places on Earth capture the imagination quite like the Great Barrier Reef – its colours, its creatures, its sheer scale,” Great Barrier Reef Foundation managing director Anna Marsden said.
“This aircraft will carry that story to millions of people every year, including those who are lucky enough to fly on her and the many more that will see it on the ground.
“We hope it inspires people to not just visit the reef but to care about its future.”
Qantas Domestic chief executive officer Markus Svensson said The A321XLR is a remarkable aircraft and Coral Sea is the seventh of this aircraft type to join the Qantas fleet.
“It’s really special to unveil such a bold livery celebrating the Great Barrier Reef and its extraordinary marine life, and to mark our partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the amazing work they do,” he said.
“Queensland is a critical part of our network, and through the thousands of seats we provide into the state every week, we continue to play an important role in supporting tourism and regional connectivity.”
The group continues to expand its connections in and out of the sunshine state. In 2025, Qantas and Jetstar added 10 new routes to Queensland, including Qantas international services from Brisbane to Vanuatu, Manila and Palau, along with domestic routes from Cairns to Sunshine Coast and Darwin to the Gold Coast.
Qantas is also adding more of its next generation aircraft to Queensland routes, with its A321XLR recently commencing flying between Brisbane and Perth and A220 flights between Brisbane and Cairns launching earlier this month. The airline’s first A321XLR international service will commence in October, connecting Brisbane and Manila.
