American Airways is making ready to take supply of its very first Airbus A321XLR, making it the primary US service to get one in all these jets. Nevertheless, don’t count on to see these swanky planes flying with passengers anytime quickly…
American has 50 Airbus A321XLRs on order
In 2019, American positioned an order for 50 Airbus A321XLR plane. For these not accustomed to the A321XLR, that is the world’s longest vary slender physique jet in manufacturing. This plane is predicated on the Airbus A321 household, however options much more incremental vary enhancements over the A321neo and A321LR (which have already got extra vary than the A321ceo).
Many airline executives view the A321XLR as an thrilling airplane that may open up lengthy and skinny routes that couldn’t essentially be served by broad physique jets. The A321XLR is each a blessing and curse for passengers, and I’ve reviewed the Aer Lingus A321XLR and Iberia A321XLR (the 2 airways have been the launch buyer for the plane).
Initially, American was supposed to begin taking supply of A321XLRs in 2023. Heck, the airline was truly already alleged to have most of those jets — the preliminary plan referred to as for eight A321XLRs in 2023, 20 in 2024, and 20 in 2025. Nevertheless, as a consequence of delays with plane certification, that’s not the way it performed out.
As reported by JonNYC, now the expectation is that American will take supply of its very first A321XLR on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in order that’s simply days away.
AA:
First XLR supply is scheduled for 7/29 and shall be going to Czech Republic for storage— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) July 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
American A321XLR flights shall be delayed by interiors
As soon as American takes supply of its first Airbus A321XLR, it sadly gained’t be flying to america, however will as a substitute be flown to Czechia, the place it’ll go into storage. Why would American put a model new airplane into storage? Nicely, interiors…
AA:
First XLR supply is scheduled for 7/29 and shall be going to Czech Republic for storage— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) July 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
On account of provide chain points, the seats for these planes aren’t prepared. That’s after all particularly irritating when you think about that these planes are two years not on time. Nonetheless, it’s a typical business downside, so it’s hardly distinctive to American. For instance, Delta has taken supply of A321neos for which it plans a premium format, and people planes have been additionally put straight into storage.
Even as soon as the seats are prepared, the seats will have to be licensed, and so forth. At present the hope is that the airplane shall be flying with passengers by the tip of 2025, although I’d assume that’s optimistic at this level. No matter timeline is given within the airline business, simply double it, and assume that’s a finest case situation (until we’re speaking about Lufthansa, wherein case it is best to quintuple the timeline).
What to anticipate from American’s A321XLRs
American’s Airbus A321XLRs shall be in a three-cabin format, with enterprise class, premium financial system, and financial system. The planes will characteristic 20 enterprise class seats and 12 premium financial system seats, in order that they’ll be fairly premium.
The A321XLRs will get completely different seats than American’s broad physique plane, for the reason that necessities for seats are completely different for slender our bodies. American shall be putting in herringbone seats in a 1-1 configuration in enterprise class, nearly an identical to JetBlue’s Airbus A321LR Mint cabin (after all with completely different finishes).
Premium financial system additionally seems to be fairly elegant, as it will likely be in a 2-2 configuration, much like home top notch. The seats appear like they’re alongside the identical traces of Delta’s Airbus A321neo top notch seats.
So far as routes go, American is taking an attention-grabbing technique with these planes. The preliminary batch of planes are anticipated to function premium transcontinental routes which are at the moment flown by American’s particular A321T subfleet. These planes are beginning to be reconfigured into a normal home format, and American will briefly fly 777s on a few of these flights.
After that, you may count on American to begin flying A321XLRs on some worldwide routes which are lengthy and skinny. I’d count on them to primarily fly out of the Northeast — probably New York (JFK) and Philadelphia (PHL) — to Europe.
Backside line
Within the coming days, American will take supply of its first Airbus A321XLR. Nevertheless, the airplane will merely be getting into storage, because it awaits seats, that are delayed. The present estimate is that the airplane will begin working industrial flights across the finish of the yr, although I wouldn’t depend on that.
What do you make of American’s upcoming A321XLR deliveries?
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