I toured the new Airbus plane that will replace American's one-of-a-kind A321T. See how the cabins compare.

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American Airlines' new A321XLR will replace its dated A321Ts and expand its transatlantic network.
There is no more first class, but business class comes with more privacy and better bathroom access.
I like the Bluetooth-capable screens and the cozy premium cabins, but I'd avoid row 25.

Out with the old and in with the new: American Airlines' niche cross-country Airbus jet is getting a major upgrade.

On Thursday, I toured American's first-ever Airbus A321XLR — a stretched narrowbody that can fly up to 5,400 miles (11 hours) nonstop thanks to an extra fuel tank. It's the first among US carriers.

American's A321XLR will replace roughly a dozen of its aging A321T jets that fly select domestic routes. The "T" stands for transcontinental, and the specific aircraft type is an Airbus A321-200.

For about a decade, the A321T has shuttled high-paying business and first-class passengers across the US as American's bi-coastal workhorse.

The modern A321XLR, which will launch its first cross-country route from New York to Los Angeles on December 18, retains the A321T's signature three-class layout and enhanced meal and drink service.

But the most premium cabins will feature a distinctly different design. There's no more first class; instead, a single front business cabin in a 1x1 configuration will give travelers direct aisle access.

There is also a premium economy cabin. And the coach cabin has been fine-tuned with more comfortable seats, USB-C outlets, and Bluetooth-compatible seatback screens.

Fares on New York—Los Angeles flights hover around $200 round-trip in economy, $1,000 in premium economy, and $2,000 in business in early 2026, rising during the busier spring break, summer, and holiday seasons.

Unlike the A321T, the A321XLR will also fly transatlantic routes, beginning with New York to Edinburgh in March and eventually expanding to other European destinations. Tickets start at $600 in coach, $2,700 in premium economy, and $3,700 in business before peak-season increases.

Transatlantic flying is central to the A321XLR's appeal: its range makes longer routes viable and opens access to far-flung cities that can't support a widebody (e.g., a Boeing 767 or an Airbus A330) or are out of reach for older narrowbodies. Think New York to West Africa or Florida to Northern Italy.

American sees the A321XLR as an opportunity to tap into this growing market for long, thin transatlantic routes while rebuilding a long-haul footprint to catch up to Delta and United, which have recovered and expanded faster post-COVID.

Still, it also marks the end of an era for the A321T. But I think most customers will likely welcome the upgrades — particularly business class' sliding doors and easier bathroom access.

Though there are a few asterisks: American said the doors won't be usable for a couple of months, and economy passengers in row 25 should expect a windowless view.

The aircraft is premium-heavy with just 155 seats.

The American Airlines A321XLR at the gate at JFK.

American has abandoned its A321T Flagship First for a single Flagship Business cabin with 20 private pod-like suites.

There are also 12 premium economy recliners, and 123 regular economy seats. This is down from the 190 on the A321T

American designed the A321XLR to cater to high-paying business and leisure passengers who want added space and comforts at 39,000 feet, and the dated A321T was no longer cutting it.

Business takes up every possible inch of cabin space.

A quad collage of business class seat, bed, and remote control.

Fitting a suite-style business seat onto a narrowbody jet is a careful game of Tetris to ensure every foot of cabin real-estate is making money.

And American packed in a lot: a bed, a large tray table, a Bluetooth-capable screen, a remote control, charging ports, and storage space.

I liked all the amenities and found the cabin to be chic, modern, and spacious overall.

You won't have a neighbor blocking you from the bathroom.

American's A321T business class with the aisle seat bed down.

The A321XLR suites are arranged in a 1x1 layout — a major upgrade from the A321T's 2x2 business configuration that essentially trapped window-seat passengers whenever their neighbor went lie-flat.

Now, every A321XLR business-class passenger gets direct aisle access. The A321T's first class is 1×1.

The A321T does not have doors.

Among the biggest comfort requests from premium travelers worldwide is better privacy in business class.

The A321XLR achieves this with a redesigned layout and sliding doors that give it the feel of a flying mini-hotel.

The A321XLR's door comes with a tradeoff.

The business class cabin on American's A321XLR.

The bulkier business seats narrow the cabin's single aisle to the point where there's barely any room to squeeze by another person. That tight space could create bottlenecks near the lavatory or make the aisle impassable during meal service.

Another caveat: an American spokesperson told Business Insider that the new sliding door can't be used until the airline secures certification for the feature, which they said is expected in the "coming months."

There is no oversized front-row "studio" option.

One of the Flagship Business seats on American's A321XLR with beige and gray color scheme.

JetBlue Airways offers a two-passenger front-row "Mint Studio" on its A321LR (the A321XLR's predecessor). It's a conference-style setup that allows the airline to charge a premium for the extra space.

American's A321XLR lacks this suite, meaning it can't capture the potential extra revenue, but it preserves lucrative cabin real estate.

The A321XLR offers a true premium economy.

The premium economy cabin on American's A321XLR.

Unlike the A321T, American's A321XLR will have a dedicated premium economy section.

The 2×2 cabin features winged recliners, adjustable leg and footrests, elevated food and beverage options, 37 inches of pitch, and an amenity kit. Customers also get priority check-in and boarding.

Although the recliners do not offer the same bedroom-like experience as those at the front of the plane, they are sometimes hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars more expensive than coach.

Economy is consistent with American's other long-haul cabins.

The regular economy cabin on the A321XLR.

Customers can expect the standard seatback screen, adjustable headrests, 31-inch pitch seats, and food already offered on American's A321T and most transatlantic flights.

Extra legroom seats make up the first few coach rows and are distinguished by their brown headrests. Standard seats have a blue one.