A stunning painting of an iconic tourist destination has found its way onto Qantas’ newest plane. Fresh out of the Airbus’ paint shop in Hamburg, Germany, a Qantas Airbus A321XLR has showcased a brand new livery inspired by one of the seven natural wonders of the world – Australia’s very own Great Barrier Reef.The aircraft, affectionately named Coral Sea, is the seventh of 48 next generation A321XLRs Qantas currently has on order and will be flown home to Australia by Qantas pilots next month.The plane is the newest addition to the Qantas fleet and can fly more than 3,000 kilometres further than the Boeing 737 aircraft it replaces. The airline became the first in the Asia Pacific to operate the aircraft type when its first plane, Great Ocean Road, entered service in September 2025.The striking livery 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.“The A321XLR is a remarkable aircraft and Coral Sea is the seventh of this aircraft type to join the Qantas fleet,” said Qantas Domestic Chief Executive Officer, Markus Svensson.“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.“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.”Welcoming more than 2.3 million visitors just last year, the Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most iconic tourist destinations. Qantas has partnered with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation since 2009 and has committed $10 million over 10 years, through the Reef Restoration Fund.These funds 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,” said Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director, Anna Marsden.“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 continues to expand its connections in and out of Queensland. In 2025, Qantas and Jetstar added 10 new routes to the state, 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.As of today, Qantas Economy Plus is now available to book across flights operated by the Airbus A330 fleet, bringing more comfort and choice to popular international destinations including Singapore, Bali, Tokyo and Los Angeles. The tickets can be purchased for A330 flights departing from 18 September, 2026 onward.Qantas Platinum One and Platinum Frequent Flyers receive complimentary access to Economy Plus at the time of booking, and Gold Frequent Flyers from 24 hours before departure, subject to availability. Customers travelling on the same booking as an eligible member also receive complimentary access. On Monday, Virgin Australia also revealed a brand new all-red, retro-inspired livery, celebrating the airline’s 150th Boeing 737 officially entering service. The names of more than 8000 Virgin Australia team members are proudly displayed in the overhead lockers of the cabin of the plane, named Lake Centenary.It is the 100th Boeing 737 in Virgin Australia’s current fleet and the 150th 737 delivered to the airline in the past 26 years.It is also the 17th new generation 737-8 MAX family aircraft to join the fleet since the first, Monkey Mia, was delivered in June 2023.This year, Virgin Australia Group will welcome 12 737‑8s, along with four Embraer E190‑E2s for Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, as it continues a major fleet renewal program.Read related topics:Qantas