American Airlines Warns A321XLR Business Passengers That Suite Doors Cannot Close — Here’s 5,000 Miles

When I toured the brand new American Airlines Airbus A321XLR, which just debuted flying New York JFK – Los Angeles and will eventually fly transatlantic, I shared that the business class suite doors are locked in place and do not close because they aren’t yet certified by the FAA.

A reader shares that American is proactively notifying passengers booked in business class on this aircraft about the limitation, and compensating with 5,000 AAdvantage miles.

One additional wrinkle with the business class seats on the plane is that the TV blocks service by flight attendants and cabin crew have been instructed that TVs must be stowed in order to serve drinks, snacks and meals.

Indeed, FAs have been instructed:

“• For your safety and the safety of our customers, do not serve over or under the BC video screen if it is pulled out.. Kindly ask the customer to close it while serving them” https://t.co/mq3qGmILNN

— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) December 18, 2025

This is a gorgeous aircraft. It makes the most of the limited space of a narrowbody plane.

Business class suites are tight. They face away from the windows, so your back is against the window and you look into the aisle. Business is a real improvement over the A321T that American has been using on cross-country routes, though I’d prefer first class on that aircraft (which American will no longer be offering), even without the doors, over the new business.

Premium economy is a real improvement over what American has been flying for years – a thoughtfully designed and attractive seat, with real foot rests (not just a foot bar). That’s probably the sweet spot.

Economy is attractive, but there’s almost no extra legroom seating (just exit rows and bulkhead). And you want to avoid row 25, which has no window. I’ll miss coach on the A321T, though, because of all the extra legroom seats it offered, and because standard coach seats had greater pitch, too.

The lavatories are tiny – domestic standard. There’s only one for business class, and premium economy is supposed to use the three at the rear of coach.

The plan is for American to use this plane first on premium cross-country routes: filling out the schedule to replace the Airbus A321T on New York JFK – San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Orange County and Boston – Los Angeles.

There’s also talk of “more transcon” routes that American might add. I’d love to see New York JFK to Las Vegas and San Diego, and Washington National to Los Angeles.

The first transatlantic route it will fly is New York JFK – Edinburgh. They plan to add secondary cities in France, Germany, the U.K., and Spain and Miami and Dallas to South America (presumably secondary cities like in northern Brazil).