Press release

| United Airlines took first delivery of a GTF Advantage powered Airbus A321 XLR  
| MTU contributes expertise to entire program: from development, manufacturing and production to maintenance repair and overhaul 

Munich, 24 September, 2026 | United Airlines received the first GTF Advantage powered Airbus A321 XLR from Airbus’ assembly line in Hamburg – with MTU Aero Engines technology on board. The GTF Advantage is set to deliver up to twice the time on wing compared to today’s GTF engine. It also generates 4-8% more takeoff thrust, enabling longer range capability.

“The first delivery of a GTF Advantage is a significant further milestone in what will be MTU’s largest ever commercial engine program,” said Dr. Johannes Bussmann, CEO MTU Aero Engines. “We have spent the past years laying the foundation for extensive ramp-up both in production and MRO services for the GTF engine family. We are ready to serve our customers and partners with our outstanding technical expertise.” 

In total, more than 14,000 GTF engine orders and commitments have been placed by more than 90 customers worldwide so far, which is significantly higher than the very successful and preceding V2500 engine program. The OEM Pratt & Whitney and its program partners MTU Aero Engines and Japanese Aero Engine Corporation will transition their entire PW1100G-JM production line to the Advantage specification by 2028. In fact, GTF Advantage engines are already being assembled at MTU’s assembly line in Munich and the company is preparing itself for significant ramp-up. 

“GTF-powered aircraft are helping us reduce fuel burn and improve reliability as we add new destinations around the world for our customers,” stated Ankit Gupta, United Airlines Senior Vice President and Chief Air Operations Officer. The GTF Advantage is fully intermixable and interchangeable with today’s GTF engine model, simplifying operations for airlines like United that maintain combined fleets. 

MTU’s share in the GTF engine family is as much as 18 percent, depending on the application. In addition to being responsible for the high-speed low-pressure turbine and the first four stages of the high-pressure compressor, MTU also manufactures brush seals and integrally bladed rotors made of nickel for high-pressure compressor components beyond its design responsibility. Moreover, MTU assembles one-third of the production PW1100G-JM engines for the A320neo.

In addition to development and production of the GTF, MTU plays a major role in the global maintenance network for the GTF engine. The company has MRO capabilities for this engine type at its sites in Hannover (Germany) and Zhuhai (China) as well as in Jasionka (Poland) at EME Aero, a joint venture between MTU and Lufthansa Technik. The company has committed to carrying out over 600 shop visits per year across the GTF engine family and in its network.