The best American Airlines domestic aircraft is the one that it flies on premium cross-country routes like New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Airbus A321T (T for transcon) features first class, business class and economy.
American Airlines Airbus A321T First Class
American Airlines is ending its Flagship First Class product over the next few years. Only two planes have it today.
- When new Boeing 787-9 planes are delivered with business class suites with doors, they will also retrofit their Boeing 777-300ER planes – eliminating international first class, and adding these new business class seats.
- They will drop first class from these A321T planes. In fact they are going to modify the aircraft to a standard A321 Oasis domestic configuration with just recliner seats up front and coach in back. For premium cross country flights they’re expected to use new Airbus A321XLR planes which, once delivered, will have business class suites with doors as well.
While the Airbus A321XLR is still in the future – the aircraft hasn’t been certified yet, so Airbus can’t deliver any – American is beginning the process of switching its existing fleet of A321T planes into the standard, less luxurious configuration.
American Airlines Airbus A321T Business Class
As reported by aviation watchdog JonNYC they’re taking one plane out of service to retrofit it, to create the standard process for doing so – although they need to keep the rest of the fleet intact until those A321XLRs arrive.
AA: The first 321T goes in for conversion to standard Oasis config next month. It'll be the only one done until the XLRs arrive. Just a prototype to get paperwork approved.
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) January 17, 2024
Already down to just 16 planes in service, these aircraft currently have 10 first class; 20 business class; and 72 coach seats – half of which are extra legroom “main cabin extra” seats. In the new configuration they will go from 102 total seats up to 196 – 20 first class and 176 coach.
While it’s lamentable that American Airlines is dropping their most premium first class service, that includes ground services like Flagship First Dining (and equivalent Chelsea lounge) at New York JFK, Miami and Dallas – Fort Worth, the biggest difference is going to be in economy because:
- They’ll be removing seatback entertainment screens
- A greater proportion of seats will be regular coach without extra legroom
- And even regular coach seats will have less legroom on the aircraft than today
- They’re even removing a galley – passengers won’t be fed as much either!
American Airlines A321T Economy
American Airlines planned to eliminate first class when US Airways management took over a decade ago. US Airways was used to being the low cost leader, rather than a premium airline, and couldn’t fathom selling those seats. They quickly learned that there was demand, especially from corporate buyers out of L.A. That’s dried up somewhat since the pandemic.
On the airline’s inaugural flight, right after the takeover, a Vice President that had come over from the US Airways side told me they expected to rip out first class from these new A321Ts back then. There’s always been a bias against premium from this management team.
American Airlines First Class Cabin On The A321T Will Disappear
They’ve believed that if they could only become operationally reliable, they’d be profitable. It turns out that reliability is just table stakes rather than enough, and a high cost airline needs to generate a revenue premium which requires quality product.
I take the LAX-JFK 321 frequently. Is AA removing the lie-flat beds in Business and replacing with standard first class seats? American is doing its best to lose my business after 30 years and 7 million miles. If Delta operated out of my airport I would seriously consider switching.
AA is one big Spirit Airlines. Arguably the worst airline in America.
You would think that after losing its East Coast franchise to an airline that built its brand on offering live TV, IFE, and free Wi-Fi, that AA management would understand the power of those products to put people in seats. I may or may not care a lot about the other stuff, but removing IFE – and making Wi-Fi not only for a fee, but for an unaffordable fee – is absolutely insane. People might accept discomfort, but they absolutely won’t accept being bored.
AA is not Delta. Delta can command premium revenue because of its superior product and world class service. Everything they do is the best. The rest of you can just suck it.
I don’t care if I have to sit on the floor in a 4 x 4 space with no water. All that matters to me is an on time departure.
This post unnecessarily alarmist and not factual at all. AA is not dropping premium service on the transcons at all – not now and not anytime. This post seems to indicate that AA is moving the transcons to a regular A321 aircraft. This is simply NOT TRUE. They are changing ONE (1) A321T to the regular domestic config. Gimme a break.
AA is unfortunately becoming a low cost airline. Their prices aren’t that of Spirit or Allegiant so I don’t think they’ll prevail. I’ll take Delta or Jetlblue any day over AA. IFE is essential for me because I don’t like holding my phone to watch a movie for 5 hours.
Neither UA nor DL (or even AC / AM) have an F product, whether transcon or long-haul international, so isn’t raising the alarm over the removal of F by AA, something that has long been announced and in-line with global aviation trends, a bit sensationalist and alarmist (as Tom above notes)? AA still intends to have lie-flats with direct aisle access on future transcon planes, in line with the current A321T Flagship F seat and competitive against UA’s / DL’s / AC’s best transcon products. That seat in fact looks even better than the current Flagship F transcon seat, even if the soft product is getting pulled back to J standards.
Sorry I hitched my wagon to AA 40 years ago.
This article is ridiculous
They a321t once converted won’t be serving lax jfk
Glad delta continues to pay you to write these dumb articles bashing AA for nothing
SO many inaccuracies in this article You have NO CREDIBILITY> Must be a Delta hack
Agree with John. Once converted, this plane will go into the regular domestic rotation, not transcon service. The removal of a gally is the mid-aircraft business class gally which would be space consuming and redundant for a regular A321 route. I do agree that this would be a good opportunity to revisit their IFE strategy and figure out how to make the domestic fleet a bit more appealing. The new XLRs will be a nice addition to the fleet but with a few less premium seats unless you count premium economy (and curious if they’ll treat PE like domestic F on the transcon routes?)…
One may say that AA is correct and is a World Class Airline, has not flown on any other airline lately. The AA management team is seriously trying hard to humiliate themselves I suppose.
My only concern is the JFKSNA flight with one less A321T in the fleet. They better not drop that flight — it’s the best flight in their network (and the one thing keeping me loyal to the airline.)
Gary (and others) – quit whining. Yes it is elimination of first class and a unique product but things change constantly and first class is just not economically competitive anymore. There is a reason AA is the only domestic airline with a true first class product (although I know not competitive with foreign carriers.
You can either whine and bemoan the “good old days” or accept reality and move on. Trust me it is easier to accept change, especially when there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.
Do US airlines generate any income from premium domestic seating. I just stumbled across your article
https://viewfromthewing.com/fly-americans-a321t-fully-flat-business-class-55-elites-first-class-just-159/
I can’t imagine that many people actually bought an F ticket on this route, especially the morning originators.
I bet the eastbound overnight did okay with paid tickets, but that’s about it.
UA got rid of 3 cabin 757 service on their transcons years ago with no fuss.
Im looking at United’s prices then at AA for a vacation, then stuff like this reminds me that AA gives no f’s and will continue to squeeze them in there. I get united doesn’t either, but their CC has treated more than alright
Look up, “race to the bottom,” in the dictionary. You’ll see AA’s logo staring right back at you.
Less leg room. You’ve got to be joking. Is that even possible? You’ll have to bungie cord your knees to your chest.
I’m no AApologist, but Gary the way this is written blows the transcon impact out of proportion.
One plane is being taken out of the transcon rotation for the conversion. Transcon fliers won’t ‘lose’ seatback TVs.
They will eventually replace the rest of the transcon fleet with premium XLR aircraft with plenty of bells and whistles. A better biz class, but no first class – yes a loss of that product.
I’d bet a good chunk of readers of this article come away thinking AA is going to be running planes with no lie flats and no TVs in economy on the premium transcon routes. It’s that slanted.
I M READY TO GET AA FIRST CLASS … yes please …!
This is part of the transition and conversion process for the A321Ts. The other aircraft will follow in the conversion process but not until AA knows when the XLRs will be coming.
I doubt if there will be a gap between the A321Ts and the XLRs.
The A321T strategy doesn’t work – there are simply too few seats on that plane and the economics deteriorated further with the new pilot contract.
And Delta will likely be the first carrier with its A321 transcon premium configuration this year because it is not based on the A321XLR but rather a more “simple” NEO.
The 767s and other widebodies have allowed DL to take the largest share of the NYC-LAX local market and the product is sufficient for transcon flights until the 767-300ERs retire later this decade.
Good help in every industry is really hard to get these days, I will stick to the older planes.
I stopped flying American in 2004 when we sat on the ramp at Dallas for over 3 hours. The flight was from Washington Dulles to San Diego with a stop in Dallas. As soon as the plane door closed and we taxied out a few feet the pilot came on the intercom that if we look out the window we would see dark clouds. Needless to say it was 3 bours longer than we planned the food and water was all used by the waiting. I notified the airline and they just thanked me for the feedback.. I have only flown on American once since then and will avoid that airline like the plague!
Gary, I’ve been working at American Arlines (now defacto Us Airway also defacto America West Airlines management) since April 1989. If you want an entertaining perspective of what “American Airlines” has really become hit me up. I can guarantee you a very entertaining and frightening experience.
This is America West management they took over us airways and used the because it was more recognized take it from a AA retiree AW ruined both airlines
Lest we forget… Going back into history, the management team responsible for much of what AA is doing these days comes from US Airways… Which used to be US Air… Which used to be Allegheny Airlines… and that particular airline used to be nicknamed “Agony Airlines” by many customers. (I say this not just from personal experience, but also from discussions with a couple of that airline’s former employees.) Looks like someone wants to bring back the “good old days” with AA.
Untruths or not…nobody should be surprised by has taken place at American Airlines. The airline with that name has been dead since the merger with lowly USAir. The “leadership” team is from America West Airlines…one of the worst airlines ever. Low-cost carrier mindset that has now run American into the ground. AA is in the same airline graveyard as other once great carriers…PanAm, TWA, Eastern, etc. Very sad to have witnessed this horrible transformation.
I’m honesty baffled at how far AA has fallen. Myself and my partner recently flew them back OGG-LAX. The stewardesses were nice but cared not about everyone running around and lounging in a half full flight. They checked out save for a beverage service. And no snacks were even served (not even nuts/pretzels/etc). The comments are correct in saying AA is just another low cost airline. It’s fine, but know what you’re getting.
So let me see if I’ve got this straight, there will be less food, less roomy seats, less IFE, and less legroom in economy? Maybe, just maybe, the management at AA – leadership is far too generous – should flip this problem of being the least profitable big legacy airline on its’ back and actually ask themselves what customers would pay more for rather than creating a product they know customers won’t pay more for.
America West would take away those pesky customers, if they could.
You know, take their money, just not the damm people.
Typical click bate
Spirit really should have merged with Frontier. Big mistake…
I told my travel agents several years ago to put a note in my profile: “Never book a flight on American Airlines again.”
Flew CLT to SLC on AA and returned on Delta! The difference was staggering. Delta had tv screens, and free wi-fi. AA had only the back o the seat in front of you to stare at. Luckily we had engaging seat mates on both flights. Had not flown in 20 years. After this experience, including changing our gate/concourse 25 min before boarding, we will be driving from here on out. I will have legroom, a reclining seat and good food on my trip!
Honestly getting tired of America West management dba American Airlines ruining the on board experience. They’re obsessed with ripping out the seatback IFE just to save some dollars on fuel. If their logic that BYOD IFE was truly better, why is that logic not applied on their widebody fleet as well? Makes absolutely no sense, they know that passengers would be livid if that was the case on widebodies yet its somehow fine for narrowbodies that get used for 5+ hour flights? It wasnt that long that US Airways was flying brand new airbuses with no seatback IFE using the BYOD model but also didnt bother to include USB/power outlets. If you didn’t carry a powerbank with you, you would land with a dead phone which I remember people complaining about after deplaning a transcontinental flight.
Those who say to embrace change are right. Until the Charlotte area does something about the AA monopoly at CLT, my options are: have a connection (or 2 or 3), drive to the west coast, or don’t go. And for me, while I respect DL, ATL is a black hole for connecting – it sucks you in but doesn’t spit you out.
What a shocker US Air VP degrading the fleet. Doug’s legacy continues and the goal of making and keeping AA the most hated airline with frequent fliers is being cemented.
No first class service!?!?
#richpeopleproblems
American Airlines management doesn’t care about customers. They just like to preach that they do. Robert Isom and his cronies may just run the airline into the ground.
I’ve been saying this for years. There are more people who care about the product than they think, and they just refuse to learn. I left AA pretty shortly after the merger to Delta and have not once regretted my decision. US Airways was garbage and now it’s back with a new paint job.
Never spend money on 1st class. But giving LESS leg room in coach? And no extra leg room seats? A normal size person is already is almost a pretzel. Ess food Who? What less than a bag of chips and a soda? Who wants to do a long haul like that?
I haven’t flown American in 20 years and this story makes me feel assured that my decision was valid.
I was loyal to American for more than 10 years. Since the pandemic, service and value have dropped dramatically. I fly Delta and Untied 2x to American. Basically, I only fly American for short regional trips. Everything else and long hauls are Delta, British Air, Japan Airlines and then United.
AA has just lost my business. I
always fly First Class due to a physical ailment. That’s OK. I liked Delta better anyway.
I am 82, I used to feel that American was a great airline, but once the upper management team was replaced by newbies, with DNA mostly made of greed, one of the first things to go was the curb side baggage service, and the elder population was fast going. I thought then the way American Airlines was going was into the outhouse. Do the young stupids in management even know what an outhouse is? To here there transcontinental limited flights are going from 100 some seats to 192 or so is stupid, stupid! There should be a flight attendant week where chosen flight attendants can go to the upper management headquarters in Dallas and corral every upper and middle management individual eventually and have the managers work as flight attendant helpers for a week and see the misery for the flight attendants to serve such a stuffed plane and the misery of the passengers and realize eventually there will be many senior flight attendants bailing and no young ones taking the positions as none will take the job as so many young do not want to work or know what hard work is. And American will have more breakout fights on-board than ever. With a greater packed plane those who misbehave with any inconvenience will cause more disruption. Who wants to fly American then? Oh, maybe the brainless manager can be harnessed to be security guards for month each year to help avoid flight attendant trauma or passenger panic when a fight ensues. And premium service is helpful and healthy for the business person flying to be at his or her top game doing business or being professional in the mess that is now America and the world. Premium is not a privilege but a necessity. Coach passengers need more space than American managers plan. The passengers need to be treated nicely and decently. I feel American Airlines, while it still exits, transcontinental service will be referred to as the American Transcontinental Cattle Service. And the new plane to be put into service is not even available yet!. I like that. The mangers are working on a future plan. Isn’t there enough to do to fix the present American Airlines? Oh, I understand the present manager will work on something in the future and make a mess and then retire but the planes arrive and the newbie managers will inherit the mess and be even more useless than the previous managers and the transcontinental service will be totally abandoned and not long after American Airlines will fold and not even have a building like the iconic New York City TWA terminal to represent the once thriving and classy American Airlines. But I bet there is enough money left to give a handsome severance package to many of the managers left that caused the end of the airline. Such is the American way. I mean America here. Now “the land of the greed” that is the silent motto of so many USA corporations. Probably many of the American managers will move to private Jet services. Watch out private jet companies. . Doom might follow those managers.
The management team at American Airlines are absolutely pathetic!! Cost cutting the public all while pocketing tens of millions of dollars in corporate bonuses!! Passengers want to be entertained while flying your sorry airline!
All I read was “blah blah the biggest difference is going to be in economy”. Of course, tax the peasants. Good luck flying coast to coast with 6 businesspersons in their private offices and an empty coach section.
US Airways: “but what about all the fuel we’ll save without all that chattel weight and their damn fifty pound roller suitcases”.
I suppose that when American Airlines gets to Spirit Airlines level a judge will approve a merger.