American Airlines just flew its first Airbus A321XLR revenue flight, making it the only U.S. airline operating the aircraft. The inaugural departed JFK for LAX on December 18, 2025, with over 150 passengers on board.

Key Takeaways

  • First A321XLR flight: JFK–LAX on December 18, 2025.
  • American is the only U.S. carrier flying the A321XLR.
  • New routes: JFK–San Francisco (May 7, 2026) and Boston–LAX (July 2, 2026).
  • JFK–Edinburgh launches March 8, 2026.
  • Tickets for new routes go on sale later this month.

The XLR Is Now Flying

We covered the A321XLR announcement back in October when American revealed Edinburgh as its first international route for the aircraft. Now it’s in the air.

Passengers on the inaugural got a commemorative gift bag with a custom flight tag. American’s Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden noted that every feature on the plane was designed with comfort in mind, from the Flagship Suite to Bluetooth entertainment,

American Airlines A321XLR Inaugural Flight
American Airlines A321XLR Inaugural Flight
American Airlines A321XLR Inaugural Flight
American Airlines A321XLR Inaugural Flight

More Routes Coming in 2026

American confirmed two additional transcontinental routes beyond Edinburgh:

Route Service Start
New York (JFK) → Edinburgh (EDI) March 8, 2026
New York (JFK) → San Francisco (SFO) May 7, 2026
Boston (BOS) → Los Angeles (LAX) July 2, 2026

Tickets go on sale later this month.

A321XLR vs. American’s Other A321s

The XLR is configured for premium long-haul, not maximum capacity:

Aircraft Total Seats Business/First Premium Economy Main Cabin Extra Main Cabin
A321 190 20 (First) — 35 135
A321neo 196 20 (First) — 35 129
A321XLR 155 20 (Flagship Suite) 12 12 123

The big difference: Flagship Suite has lie-flat seats with privacy doors, not recliner-style domestic First.

Cabin Details

  • Flagship Suite (20 seats): Lie-flat, direct aisle access, privacy doors, wireless charging, extra storage.
  • Premium Economy (12 seats): 38” pitch, 21.3” wide, winged headrests, calf/footrests, wireless charging.
  • Main Cabin (123 seats): 32” pitch, 4K screens, power at every seat, Bluetooth.

All cabins have high-speed Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment.

American Airlines A321XLR Flagship Suite
American Airlines A321XLR Premium Economy

Find A321XLR Award Space

Use AwardFares to track availability on A321XLR routes:

  • Filter by aircraft type to find XLR flights.
  • Search AAdvantage awards on JFK–LAX, JFK–SFO, BOS–LAX, and JFK–EDI.
  • Set alerts for Flagship Suite or Premium Economy seats.

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