A330neo

The Airbus A330neo is a family of wide-body twinjet airliners developed by Airbus as the re-engined and redesigned successor to the A330ceo. It comprises two variants, the A330-800neo and A330-900neo. NEO stands for New Engine Option, though in practice the family uses Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines exclusively.

The A330neo features upgraded aerodynamics and systems with new engines, a revised wing with larger winglets, higher maximum takeoff weight, and a modernized cabin. The airframe largely retains the A330’s fuselage and structure, allowing continued commonality with its predecessor. It delivers significantly improved fuel efficiency and shorter maintenance intervals relative to the original A330 family; Airbus cites around 14% lower fuel burn per seat.

Development and production: Airbus launched the program in 2014 to compete with the Boeing 787. The first flight occurred in 2017 and commercial service began in 2018. The two variants share a common fuselage but differ mainly in range and seating; the -900neo is optimized for longer-range routes, while the -800neo is designed for shorter to mid-range missions.

Market position: The A330neo is positioned as an efficient, medium-range wide-body intended to fill the gap between the A330ceo and larger wide-bodies like the A350. It competes with the Boeing 787 family, offering a similar cabin experience with a somewhat lower acquisition cost.

Operators and production: The program is produced at Airbus's facilities in Toulouse and includes a configuration for a two-class seating, typically around 250–300 passengers, with range enabling intercontinental service.