Airbus is nearing a decision on whether to develop a larger variant of its A350 aircraft, aiming to compete directly with Boeing’s 777X in the market for very large passenger jets. The potential new model would stretch the existing A350 airframe to accommodate more passengers, positioning it as one of the biggest commercial airplanes currently under consideration.

Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Tufan Erginbilgic, whose company supplies engines exclusively for the A350, indicated that Airbus could make a final determination within the next year. A launch decision now would allow deliveries to begin in the early 2030s, he said during the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K.

This development signals Airbus’s possible return to the segment of ultra-large aircraft, a market it exited after ending production of the A380 superjumbo in 2019. The end of the A380 left Boeing’s 777X as the dominant offering in this category, with the plane capable of seating up to about 450 passengers.

An Airbus spokesperson confirmed the company is investigating options to expand the A350 family, including a larger variant often referred to internally as the A350-2000. However, they emphasized that no firm decision to proceed has been made. "Market demand for large wide-bodies is real, and we’re looking at potential evolutions of the A350 to meet that demand," the spokesperson said.

Airbus is reportedly considering various approaches for the enlarged A350, ranging from a modest lengthening powered by the current Rolls-Royce XWB-84 engines to a more substantial stretch requiring a new, higher-thrust engine variant with a wider diameter. Erginbilgic noted that development of such an engine and the associated airframe would take approximately six to seven years.

He stopped short of confirming Airbus’s ultimate plans but mentioned that discussions were ongoing and that the company appeared to be leaning toward the larger variant, which would compete with Boeing’s 777-9, the biggest model in the 777X lineup.

On Boeing’s side, the 777X program has faced numerous delays, pushing its entry into commercial service back by about seven years. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since 2024, has been focused on stabilizing the company amid these challenges, including working to secure Federal Aviation Administration approvals for both the 777X and new 737 MAX variants.

Last year, Boeing acknowledged a nearly $5 billion charge related to 777X delays and difficulties in obtaining certification. Despite these setbacks, Ortberg stated recently that the company remains on course to deliver the first 777-9 model next year. However, he noted that airplanes manufactured earlier in the program will require extensive retrofit work, which Boeing plans to carry out in a separate facility to avoid disrupting ongoing production.

“We’ll be doing the modifications of the airplanes that are already built,” Ortberg said. “That’ll be over the next couple years. It’s not a short process to get that done.”

As Airbus and Boeing both prepare the next generation of large wide-body jets, competition is intensifying in a segment that remains central to future airline fleet strategies, despite the technical and regulatory hurdles both manufacturers currently face.