American Airlines operated its first Airbus A321XLR flight on December 18, 2025, thereby becoming the first US carrier to fly the new long-range aircraft.
The inaugural service departed New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 11:00 ET, carrying more than 150 passengers to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The A321XLR features American’s Flagship Suite, Premium Economy, and main cabin (Economy) seating configurations. Passengers on the maiden flight received commemorative gift bags to mark the occasion.
In a special message to passengers, Heather Garboden, American’s chief customer officer, said: “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.”
The aircraft will initially operate on transcontinental routes before expanding to international service. Starting March 8, 2026, the A321XLR will launch American’s new route between JFK and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Additional transcontinental service on the aircraft is planned for Boston-Los Angeles and JFK-San Francisco routes beginning early next year.
To accompany the A321XLR debut, American announced 15 new routes for 2026, strengthening its domestic network. The airline will add Lincoln, Nebraska, as its 240th US destination from June 4, 2026, giving the carrier more domestic destinations than any other airline.
Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) will see significant expansion, with American planning more than 500 daily departures next summer. New routes from the hub include service to Erie, Pennsylvania; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Tri-Cities, Tennessee. The airline will also extend winter-only service to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Key West, Florida, into the Summer season.
“American is proud to offer unmatched connectivity across the United States,” said Brian Znotins, American’s senior vice president of network and schedule planning. “With new routes from places like Lincoln, Nebraska; Abilene, Texas; Columbia, Missouri; and more, we’re providing local residents one-stop access to seal business deals, take a dream vacation with friends or family and enjoy soccer matches on the global stage.”
The Phoenix hub is set to add seven new routes, including service to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana, and Rapid City, South Dakota, improving access to national parks and monuments across the western United States.