The board of Airbus parent firm EADS has confirmed the development of the A350, a new mid-sized aircraft.
Designed to compete with Boeing's forthcoming 787 Dreamliner, the A350 is expected to cost 4.35bn euros ($5.3bn; £3m) to develop.
Franco-German EADS, which owns 80% of Airbus, said it hoped to get 200 orders for the A350 by the end of this year.
EADS also said it will forgo state aid for the A350 to try to calm a subsidies row between Europe and the US.
Allegations of past unfair government aid for both Airbus and its US rival Boeing are currently under investigation by the World Trade Organisation.