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It’s the dawn of a new (narrow-body) era for American Airlines.
The carrier officially took the wraps off its long-awaited Airbus A321XLR on Thursday.
This 155-seat single-aisle jet marks a significant step forward in the onboard experience, highlighted by new business-class and premium-economy products.
The jet also features several nose-to-tail upgrades, such as 4K TVs, high-speed Viasat Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, and more.
For American’s network planning team, the extra-long-range A321XLR unlocks dozens of secondary and tertiary markets that weren’t profitable with larger wide-body jets.
So, yes, there’s lots to get excited about ahead of the plane’s inaugural on Dec. 18 from New York to Los Angeles.
Here’s what you need to know from my first-look tour.
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American A321XLR Flagship Suite business class
The headline upgrade is American’s all-new Flagship Suite business class.
The cabin is arranged in a 1-1 configuration in an aisle-facing herringbone layout.
Suites are arranged in 10 rows, for a total of 20 pods.
The suites are based on the Collins Aerospace Aurora seat and are pretty comfortable, especially for a narrow-body jet.
I didn’t have much time to explore all the features during my first-look tour, but I was impressed with the luxe finishes.
From the embossed American flight symbol on the headrests to the refined cocktail tray, it really feels like American is investing in making a strong first impression.
Each suite includes a 17-inch 4K touchscreen TV that swivels outward. The 4K quality was immediately noticeable from the moment I started playing around with the TV.
You can also control the TVs using the remote that pops out of the side table.
This is also where you’ll find the AC outlet, 60-Watt USB-C port, exposed literature pocket, headphone hook, and intuitive seat controls.
A red-accented pull-out mirror is a subtle but thoughtful touch.
The bifold tray table folds down from the seat in front. I didn’t take measurements, but it felt big enough to accommodate a full meal tray or a large laptop.
I really appreciated that American installed armrests on both sides of the seat. I often find it hard to sit upright and catch up on work with similar single-aisle business-class products, so I’m a fan.
Underneath the armrest, you’ll find the Qi wireless charging pad and water bottle storage holder.
All seats convert to fully flat beds. I didn’t have enough time to grab measurements or actually lie on the bed.
But it sure looked comfortable, especially since there is no cramped footwell. (I might fly on the inaugural, so look out for a full review.)
These seats are technically suites, but the sliding doors won’t be functional on day one. The airline is working with government regulators to get the doors approved for use in-flight.
Note that all seats are pretty much created equally.
No seat has missing windows, and the bulkhead doesn’t feature extra space like American’s Flagship Suite on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
There’s one lavatory for the 20 biz passengers. It’s located in the forward galley, which features new-to-me galley carts arranged at an angle.
The lavatory features American’s (controversial) sky-blue cloud wallpaper, which first debuted on the 787-9P.
Personally, I find it somewhat tacky, but others tell me they love it.
American A321XLR premium economy
If business class is the headline, premium economy might be the sleeper hit.
The airline installed 12 new premium economy recliners on the A321XLR, making this the first narrow-body jet in the fleet to get a premium economy cabin.
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Seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration with a 37-inch pitch.
The seats are based on the Recaro R5 product, which is similar to Delta’s new A321neo first class.
The privacy wings aren’t as pronounced as Delta’s, but that’s okay because it makes it easier to get out of the seat when your neighbor is resting.
Each recliner features a legrest and footrest (even those in the bulkhead), as well as a generous 8-inch recline and four-way adjustable headrest.
There’s a storage area underneath the center armrest, and water bottle holders between the two seats.
Bifold tray tables pop out of the aisle and window armrests, and I love the elevated design American used for the tables.
In fact, I think American did a great job overall with infusing branding elements throughout the jet, such as adding its logo to the patterned bulkhead walls.
Compared to the spartan feel of American’s Oasis 737 interiors, the A321XLR is night-and-day.
Premium economy also features 13.3-inch 4K TVs with Bluetooth, as well as USB-A, USB-C, and AC power outlets. There’s even a Qi wireless charger at shoulder level.
All in all, premium economy looks like the best bang for your buck.
Obviously, a lie-flat bed makes business class very appealing on a red-eye.
Still, premium economy might offer the best value on transcon and shorter transatlantic flights, especially when flying westbound.
Furthermore, I might actually recommend the bulkhead in premium economy.
You keep the legrest and footrest without someone reclining into your space, so long as you’re okay with a fixed-position TV.
Note that premium economy shares the three aft lavatories with economy.
American A321XLR economy
The remaining 123 seats are in a standard 3-3 economy configuration.
Exit rows 14 and 15 are designated as Main Cabin Extra extra-legroom seats, but the rest of the economy cabin features just 31 inches of pitch.
With only 12 Main Cabin Extra seats, some elites may try to avoid this plane when seated in the back.
The economy seats have all the latest tech upgrades: 11.6-inch 4K touchscreen TVs with Bluetooth, AC outlets, and USB-C charging ports.
You’ll also find oversized Airspace XL overhead bins above each seat, making it far less likely you’ll need to gate-check your carry-on.
There’s no mood-lighting installation above the aisle as some airlines add to new A321s, but the refreshed color palette helps brighten the cabin.
Still, if you’re flying economy on a long-haul route, the wider, more spacious cabins and galleys on a wide-body jet will likely be more comfortable.
There are three small lavatories located at the back of economy, sans cloud wallpaper.
American A321XLR routes
The A321XLR is a strategic game-changer for American.
With a 4,700-nautical-mile range and better fuel efficiency than similar narrow-body jets, it allows the airline to serve thinner routes in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and the U.K. that don’t justify a twin-aisle aircraft.
That’s why American bought 50 of them, said Brian Znotins, the carrier’s network chief, on Thursday.
The jet’s inaugural transatlantic route will be New York to Edinburgh next year, with more “sexy” markets on deck, according to Znotins.
But before crossing the pond, the A321XLR will be deployed in the following premium transcontinental markets.
- New York — Los Angeles
- New York — Orange County, California
- New York — San Francisco
- Boston — Los Angeles
The A321XLR will eventually replace the A321T (American’s current three-cabin transcon jet), which will be reconfigured into a standard domestic layout.
I, for one, can’t wait to see where this jet takes American next. And odds are, I might actually be seated in premium economy.
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