United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) has signed a dry-lease contract with SMBC Aviation Capital for twenty A321-200NX.
The agreement was inked in April 2024 but the identity of the lessor was not disclosed at that time. SMBC said the aircraft would be drawn from its Airbus order book and deliver in 2026-2027.
SMBC has a portfolio of six owned A321-200Ns (and a further two managed), forty-one A321-200NX (and 35 managed), and two owned and managed A321-200NX(LR)s in terms of its A321neo fleet. Its existing order book with the manufacturer comprises a further 52 of the type, of which five are listed as A321-200NX(LR)s, according to the ch-aviation fleets module.
United Airlines currently leases twenty B737-8s from SMBC.
The US carrier operates fifteen A321-200NX and has a further 115 on a direct order from Airbus. In April, it said it would add a further thirty-five A321-200NX on leases, including the now-unveiled deal with SMBC. The carrier also has fifty A321-200NY(XLR)s on order.
