American Airlines’ New Airbus A321XLR Debuts on Transcontinental Flight
- Joe Breitfeller

- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
American’s new Airbus A321XLR debuted on Thursday (December 18th), departing New York-JFK with service to Los Angeles at 11:00. American is the first U.S. based carrier to operate the aircraft type.

On Thursday (December 18, 2025), American Airlines announced the departure of their inaugural Airbus A321XLR flight, carrying over 150 passengers between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). As the only U.S.-based airline to operate the A321XLR, the aircraft is a class above the rest, offering customers a Flagship Suite®, Premium Economy and Main Cabin experience. Guests traveling on the inaugural flight received a gift bag that included a specially designed flight tag to commemorate the aircraft’s first transcontinental flight.
In Thursday’s announcement, American Airlines’ Chief Customer Officer, Heather Garboden, said in a note to passengers on Flight 3,
“We’re excited that you’re here today to celebrate the debut of this new aircraft to our fleet. From premium design details to Bluetooth connectivity to elevated entertainment, every feature on this plane has been thoughtfully crafted so you can enjoy transcontinental travel in comfort.”
As American takes delivery of additional A321XLRs, they will schedule the aircraft on transcontinental routes between Boston (BOS)-LAX and JFK-San Francisco (SFO) for service starting early next year. This additional transcontinental service will complement new service between JFK and Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI), that will launch on the XLR on March 8, 2026.
American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) offers thousands of flights daily to over 350 destinations in more than 60 countries. The airline is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose member airlines serve over 900 destinations worldwide. American Airlines’ mission is To Care for People on Life’s Journey®.
Source: American Airlines


