American Airlines Previews First Three-Class Airbus A321XLR Cabin; First Flights Planned For December

American Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR aircraft on October 22. The carrier has shared its first previews of the interior of N303NY, announcing its first route starting in December.

Seating 155 passengers, American’s A321XLRs will feature 20 Flagship Suite business/first class seats in a 1-1 config, with 12 in premium economy (2-2) and the remaining 123 economy seats split in a 3-3 layout.

In business class, American chose to outfit their aircraft with Collins Aerospace Aurora herringbone seats. According to the specifications, these new seats should be about 78 inches when in a full lie-flat layout, offering more privacy compared to competing solutions.

There is also a storage area in the back corner of each seat, but we’ll see what this looks like in more detail once the public has access to the aircraft. Each unit is outfitted with a 17 inch, 4K touchscreen display with Bluetooth pairing, and Universal AC and USB-C (60W) sockets, plus wireless charging.

In Premium Economy, American chose Recaro R5 seats, which are are currently being installed on Alaska Airline’s Boeing 737 fleet, and IndiGo’s A321neos.

“Designed for long journeys with comfort and style at the forefront, American is thrilled to be the first U.S. airline to operate the A321XLR,” said Heather Garboden, American’s Chief Customer Officer. “Whether customers are traveling from coast to coast or across the ocean, American’s newest aircraft demonstrates our commitment to providing a premium travel experience.”

With the first of 50 units delivered, American will introduce their A321XLRs on its New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX) transcon route. Flights begin on December 18, 2025 and will run through February 11, 2026. When booking, look for the “32Q” designator.

As the airline takes on more deliveries, they will announce additional routes, with international service expected to start by March 2026.