2 weeks Ago By Edward Juetten
This past month, American Airlines A321XLR has been a hot topic among the global aviation enthusiast community. American's first of 50 XLRs embarked on its three-hour maiden voyage on March 31. The jet took flight from Airbus's German facility at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW).
However, the aircraft was spotted for the first time earlier in March, missing an essential piece of its iconic livery. American Airlines has some inspiring plans for this highly anticipated jetliner. Specifically, the one world Alliance carrier looks to use this aircraft to expand its network into new niche transoceanic markets while introducing a new era of American's onboard experience.
This article will explore the latest information regarding American's A321XLR and deep-dive into American's invigorating plans for the jet. How Many XLR Does American Have On Order? According to ch-aviation , American Airlines currently has 50 XLRs on order. The Fort Worth, Texas-based legacy carrier and Airbus plan to deliver 50 examples between 2025 and 2029.
After the 2019 Paris Airshow, CNBC reported that American Airlines was the first US-based airline to order the type. Clay McConnell, Head of Communications for Airbus Americas, spoke about the order. "The purchase agreement includes the conversion of 30 of American’s existing A321neo slots to A321XLRs and incremental orders for an additional 20 A321XLRs.
" Many sources initially speculated that the XLR order was strategically placed to replace American's aging fleet of Boeing 757 aircraft, many of which it acquired through its merger with US Airways, which was completed in 2013. Subsequently, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, American retired its fleet of 757s, as documented by planespotters.net The 757 served as an airline workhorse for several decades, specifically, allowing American to access many smaller long-haul markets in South America.
However, as airlines aimed to slash costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 757 was no longer financially viable. The A321XLR will be perfect for restoring and entering markets that do not warrant high-capacity jets while operating such markets cost-effectively. American's A321 History Most of American's first-generation A321s can trace their routes back to US Airways , as American acquired US Airways' large A320 family fleet from their merger.
The first generation of A321s, dubbed the "A321ceo," are over 20 years old, as many were delivered new to US Airways in the early 2000s. Following the 2008 recession, American Airlines had difficulties controlling its costs, primarily due to flying an aging fleet of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft. In 2011, the carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
As part of its bankruptcy restructuring plan, the airline initiated a fleet renewal plan and ordered its own portfolio of assorted Airbus aircraft . The American Airlines media team reported that the airline ordered over 250 Airbus jets in 2011, including a hefty A321 order, and over 100 of those A321 frames were to be fitted with the "new engine option." Before its bankruptcy exit, American took delivery of a special A321.
The "A321T" arrived in 2013 and was configured with a larger premium cabin and offered amenities such as lie-flat seating. These aircraft were purchased to be deployed in "premium" transcontinental markets. In total, American took delivery of 17 A321s in the transcontinental configuration.
However, the XLR is slated to replace these dated jets, with the first of the 17 aircraft already retrofitted to America's standard A321 configuration. The chart below displays American's A321T seating and amenity information. Class: Seat Count: Seat Pitch: Seat Width: Flagship First 10 Lie-Flat 21 Inches Flagship Business 20 Lie-Flat 19 Inches Main Cabin Extra 36 35 Inches 17.
5 Inches Main Cabin 36 31 Inches 17.5 Inches The A321neo has a larger capacity than the smaller A320, allowing American to transport more people without relying on wide bodies. Flying "Extra Long Range": The Development Of The XLR The XLR was developed from the A321neo as an extra-long-range variant.
In 2010, Airbus announced its next generation of A321 jets by introducing a "new engine option" equipped aircraft, which allowed for a more extended range of travel and greater fuel efficiency over its predecessor. It only took Airbus six years to develop the A321neo. The chart below illustrates the A321XLR key specifications.
Range: Maximum Flight Time: Maximum Takeoff Weight: Fuel Capacity: Compatible Engines: Seating Capacity: 4,700 NM 11 Hours 101 Tonnes 8,700 gallons CFM LEAP-1A, PW1100G-JM 244 Seats (All Economy Configuration) In 2018, Airbus began to study retrofit options to increase the range of the popular A321neo and designed a larger center fuel tank and a more robust landing gear kit to accommodate a more considerable maximum take-off weight. The XLR was officially launched in June 2019 at the Paris Air Show. The XLR prototype finally took flight in 2022, and its entry into service was delayed due to a fuel tank complication.
Last summer, the European Union Safety Agency officially certified the XLR. Following EASA's approval, the United States Federal Aviation Administration also issued its approval. The first XLR was delivered factory-fresh to the Spanish flag carrier, Iberia , on October 30 and conducted its first revenue flight from Madrid to Boston on November 14.
American's XLR Configuration It's no secret that American Airlines' XLR will feature a lower-density premium heavy configuration. The network carrier plans to outfit its swanky new XLRs in the following three-class seating configuration. 20 Flagship Suites 12 Premium Economy Seats offering a greater recline and headrest wings 135 Main Cabin seats Every seat on American's XLRs will feature an in-flight entertainment screen, which heavily contrasts its standard A321ceo and NEO fleet, which only offer a seat-back device holder for personal streaming entertainment.
WiFi is also available for purchase on American's current domestic fleet. Notably, American will offer its guests a re-imagined Flagship Suite featuring a sliding privacy door, chaise lounge seating, and additional storage space. The cabin will feature earth and neutral tones throughout, fostering a relaxing environment for customers to refresh and rejuvenate while in the air.
American plans to place additional branding throughout each cabin to remind its customers of an all-new bespoke experience. The carrier prepares to expand its long-haul fleet with the A321XLR, with the first expected in April, enhancing premium travel with 50 jets by 2029. Who Else Has Ordered The XLR? Over 25 air carriers worldwide have placed orders for the fearsome XLR.
Airbus does not publish its customer list as it is subject to change, and it would hate to leak crucial information to airline competitors. In December, Airbus celebrated that it had secured over 500 orders of the type. XLR customers from nearly every corner of the earth, including Asian, European, and Indian carriers, have tremendous confidence in the innovative jet.
Indian low-cost carrier indigo currently has the largest active order for the XLR at 69 frames, with deliveries set to commence in early 2026. The Hindu reports that IndiGo is the largest A320neo family operator in the world. IndiGo plans to take its XLR as far as Amsterdam and other European cities.
In addition to American, United Airlines is the only other US-based legacy carrier that has ordered the XLR. United has 50 examples on order and plans to deploy the aircraft on secondary seasonal European markets, which it has been widely successful in since inheriting Continental's expansive European city portfolio. The list provided below displays other notable XLR orders.
Wizz Air: 47 Qantas: 36 AirAsia: 30 Air Canada: 30 Air Arabia: 30 Vietjet: 20 AA's XLR Network Deployment American Airlines reported that it aims to grow its premium offerings on long-haul aircraft by more than 40% throughout the mid-to-late 2020s. Its large XLR order will help it achieve just that. American has not explicitly stated which routes the XLR will be deployed on.
It will, however, replace the A321T on the likes of JFK-LAX and SFO. American customers likely won't see XLR transoceanic deployment until 2026 or even later as the carrier focuses on offering a refreshed premium transcontinental experience. According to ch-aviation , Brian Znotins, America's Senior Vice President of Network Planning, has teased deploying the XLR in secondary Spanish and French markets.
Many of these smaller cities would not be financially possible with American's much larger triple seven or 787. American has also centered its XLR focus around its gigantic Miami hub and has stated that deep South American business forward markets could also be possible for the XLR. American is interested in deploying the jet on routes that currently can only be operated seasonally, as their current widebody fleet serves markets that only see widebody capacity demand in the peak summer months.
When widebody capacity isn't warranted, the XLR can be flown to said markets in the winter. For American and many airlines alike, the A321XLR can be used as a frequency increase aircraft, as many major international markets do not need several daily widebody flights. The aircraft will ideally debut in the coming months.
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