American Airlines is on a premium push, rolling out new planes with more business and premium economy seats.
The A321XLR is a single-aisle jet with extra long range (hence, XLR), capable of transatlantic flights. Because it’s a smaller plane, airlines can justify flying it to less-visited destinations, such as secondary cities in Europe and South America that US airlines have traditionally overlooked in favor of more popular tourist destinations.
Carriers like American and United Airlines are eyeing the plane as a key to unlocking smaller destinations on their route maps, betting that customers will be willing to pay more for better products like lie-flat seats.
American invited me to check out its first A321XLR aircraft before they enter commercial service on December 18, 2025, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. It developed the new design language that American is using for its new aircraft. It’s like a ship.
American A321XLR layout
You’ll find 155 seats on American’s A321XLR. Here’s how those numbers stack up by cabin:
20 Flagship Suite Business Class seats: 1-1 configuration.
12 Premium Economy Seats: 2-2 configuration.
12 Main Cabin Extra Economy Seats with Extra Legroom: 3-3 configuration.
123 Main Cabin Economy Seats: 3-3 configuration.
These are significantly fewer seats than its A321 and A321NEO aircraft, which do not have premium economy seats. But airlines have found a sweet spot with premium economy in recent years. Passengers get more legroom, more recline and upgraded amenities compared to business class fares.
However, those 12 premium economy seats come at the cost of additional seats in the main cabin. American’s other A321 family aircraft have 35 extra legroom seats, but the latest XLR planes will only have 12. That’s a blow to travelers who can get those seats for free, namely select American Adventur elite and OneWorld status members.
Each seat will have a screen and Bluetooth connectivity, which is a big win for passengers.
Flagship Suite Business Class
The A321XLR comes with 20 flagship suite seats, an amazing product introduced by American on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Each seat has direct aisle access and lie-flat beds, making it a significant improvement over typical domestic single-aisle aircraft.
The seats are equipped with useful features such as wireless charging pads, water bottle holders, an illuminated cocktail tray and additional storage space, including a slot for your laptop. As someone who is always trying to find a place for my laptop, I paid attention to detail here.
Although the suits are technically privacy doors, American is still awaiting Federal Aviation Administration certification for their use. This means that passengers should expect the doors to remain open in the initial months of the A321XLR’s launch.
I thought American did a good job with the color palette on this plane, contrasting the natural wood grain with the dark elements. The hidden pop of red that appears using the dining table was a fun touch.
🤓 Nerve tip
To take down the screen, press the “Push” button in the lower left corner. It can be easy to miss if you’re not looking closely.
When you’re ready for snooze, you can put your seat in bed mode. If you prefer a softer bed, American has said it plans to bring mattress pads to all international flagship business class flights.
Unlike American’s latest Boeing Dreamliners, the A321XLR does not feature the flagship suite priority product, bulkhead business class seats that offer a room suite with a different design.
If you’re seated in Premium Economy, you’ll have up to 6 inches of extra legroom compared to Economy seats — a major plus for travelers to Europe. This section has 12 seats, with three rows of two seats on each side of the aisle.
While you won’t get direct aisle access like in business class, it offers an experience similar to what you might get on a cramped plane in domestic first class.
Additional seat features include privacy wings with headrests and wireless charging. You can also deploy the calf and footrests for added comfort.
To accommodate the new premium economy seats, the A321XLR’s economy section is much smaller than other aircraft in the American A321 fleet – especially the main cabin extra.
While other American aircraft can offer 35 extra legroom seats, the A321XLR offers only a third of that, with 12 seats. You can identify the main cabin extra seats by their mustard gray color. There are also 4K monitors at each seat, along with both USB-A and USB-C ports.
These Airbus planes are designed with spacious head bins, which is important when you fly in economy. Since there are fewer seats in the back, passengers should hopefully have no problem finding overhead bin space.
🤓 Nerve tip
If you want a window seat, avoid sitting in row 25 on this plane, which has no windows.
Where will American A321xlrs fly?
The first American Airlines A321XLR flight will depart JFK for LAX on December 18, 2025. Passengers can fly this aircraft during March 2026. Beginning March 8, 2026, American will operate A321XLR flights from JFK to Edinburgh, Scotland during the summer season.
While these are the initial routes, expect to add more transcontinental and international destinations as American receives more of these aircraft. American’s network planning chief, Brian Zenotens, said at the event that the airline is eyeing secondary markets in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, with Brazil coming later.
If you’re itching to fly on the A321XLR, you can book flights on American’s website or app. On the flight results, search for “32Q-Airbus A321XLR” to ensure you are booking the correct flight.
Keep in mind, though, that aircraft may change, and aircraft types are not guaranteed.
