The Airbus A220 began as Bombardier’s C Series. It became an Airbus-marketed aircraft family through a partnership announced in October 2017 and effective July 1, 2018, when Airbus took a 50.01% stake in the program partnership. The aircraft had already flown, been certified, and entered commercial service under the CS100 and CS300 names; Airbus later identified those versions as the A220-100 and A220-300.
When did the C Series become the A220?
The change happened in stages, not as an overnight redesign. Airbus and Bombardier announced their partnership in October 2017. The transaction took effect on July 1, 2018, making Airbus the majority partner in C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership. The program was then marketed and developed within Airbus under the A220 name.
Airbus’s October 2017 announcement described the proposed partnership as a way to bring the 100–150-seat aircraft program Airbus’s global reach, scale, procurement capabilities, and sales, marketing, and production expertise. That was Airbus’s stated rationale; it does not by itself establish that the partnership caused later sales or production outcomes.
How the transition unfolded
| Milestone | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 12, 2008 | Airbus’s June 2026 factsheet dates the C Series program launch to the Farnborough Airshow. |
| September 16, 2013 | The CS100, later renamed A220-100, made its first flight. |
| February 27, 2015 | The CS300, later renamed A220-300, made its first flight. |
| December 18, 2015 and July 11, 2016 | Airbus’s factsheet gives these dates for CS100 and CS300 type certification, respectively. |
| 2016 | The CS100 entered service with SWISS on July 15, and the CS300 entered service with airBaltic on December 14, according to Airbus’s factsheet. |
| October 2017 | Airbus and Bombardier announced their partnership. |
| July 1, 2018 | The transaction took effect, placing Airbus in the majority-partner position. |
| March 23, 2026 | Airbus’s June 2026 factsheet records delivery of the 500th A220. |
The launch, flight, certification, and service milestones come from Airbus’s June 2026 A220 factsheet. They show why it is inaccurate to describe the A220 as a new Airbus design launched in 2018: the two aircraft had completed major development steps and entered airline service before the transaction took effect.
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What changed in the 2018 transaction?
Airbus became majority partner in C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership, the entity associated with the program. In its July 2018 closing announcement, Airbus reported the ownership split as follows:
| Partner | Share of the program partnership |
|---|---|
| Airbus | 50.01% |
| Bombardier | Approximately 34% |
| Investissement Québec | Approximately 16% |
Airbus also said the partnership’s head office and primary assembly line were in Mirabel, Québec. The transaction therefore changed program governance and Airbus’s role in the aircraft’s commercial and industrial future. The ownership figures describe the partnership, not a purchase of an already completed aircraft design or a claim that every aspect of production moved to Airbus.
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What changed—and what did not—about the aircraft?
The aircraft family’s names changed: the CS100 became the A220-100, and the CS300 became the A220-300. The underlying development history did not begin with Airbus. Both variants had first flown, gained certification, and entered service before July 2018.
Airbus’s June 2026 factsheet lists the family’s PW1500G engines and more than 99% parts commonality between the A220-100 and A220-300. It gives the following typical two-class seating and range figures:
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| Variant | Earlier name | Typical two-class seating | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| A220-100 | CS100 | 100–120 | 3,600 nautical miles |
| A220-300 | CS300 | 120–150 | 3,400 nautical miles |
These specifications and the commonality figure are Airbus-published figures in its June 2026 factsheet, not independent test results. The variants share most parts, but the factsheet’s listed ranges differ.
What happened after Airbus joined the program?
In its full-year 2018 results, reported in February 2019, Airbus counted 135 net A220 orders, 480 A220 aircraft in its year-end commercial-aircraft backlog, and 20 A220 deliveries during 2018. Airbus identified commercial momentum, production ramp-up, and cost reduction as priorities for the program. These figures are Airbus’s reporting for 2018; they do not establish the program’s profitability or isolate the effect of the partnership.
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Airbus’s full-year 2018 results treated the aircraft as part of the Airbus commercial-aircraft business after the July transaction. Later, Airbus’s June 2026 factsheet recorded delivery of the 500th A220 on March 23, 2026. That is an Airbus-reported production milestone, not a measure of profitability or proof that Airbus’s participation alone produced the outcome.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did Bombardier bring in Airbus?
The public statements cited here establish what Airbus said it expected to contribute: reach, scale, procurement, and commercial and production capabilities. Airbus’s later priorities included building commercial momentum, ramping up production, and reducing costs. Those statements help explain the intended logic of the partnership, but they do not provide a complete account of Bombardier’s financial position or prove a single cause for the transaction’s longer-term results.
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