Airbus A321 American Airlines

Airbus A321 American Airlines

You don't know what you'll get when you book an American Airlines Airbus A321 flight. American Airlines has three versions of this plane, so you won't be able to tell which one until you board the plane. American has 121 A321 aircraft, which it inherited in its 2015 merger with US Airways. American Airlines also owns 81 different configuration "legacy American" A321 planes, which were ordered by pre-merger American Airlines. American is also updating and standardizing all A321's in a new configuration, which they call "Project Oasis". These retrofits will not all be completed until 2022, so only 25 of the conversions have been completed (mostly from the ex-US Airways fleet). The consensus among the three versions of A321's is that the legacy American are the best, while the new OASIS configuration ranks in the middle. Legacy US Airways is the worst.

WiFi

The good news about WiFi is consistent across all A321 versions. It is consistently good. ViaSat provides excellent download speeds, fast enough to stream most video. Although upload speeds can be slow with airplane WiFi, this is not a problem and should not affect most users. WiFi is available from gate to gate. This means that you don't need to wait for the plane to get up in the air or stop when it begins its descent. WiFi is available on American for a fee. They offer a WiFi subscription for $49.95/month that allows unlimited domestic flight use. You can also pay per flight with in-flight plans, which usually start at $10.

In-Flight Entertainment

American offers free bring-your-own-device streaming entertainment across its entire A321 fleet. You can stream TV and movies to your tablet, phone or laptop. Entertainment includes 175 movies, many TV shows, and Apple TV+ programming. There are 60 million songs. You can also travel within the 48 United States with 12 channels of live television, including CNN, ESPN and Fox.

If you are lucky enough to get on a legacy American plane that has not been retrofitted yet, you will be able to use a seatback monitor and stream to your device. American will soon remove these personal video screens from its planes during the OASIS upgrades. They believe they will be able keep up with future entertainment advances if they don't have to be constrained by technology.

Power and USB

Legacy US Airways aircraft do not have onboard power. Both legacy American aircraft and those retrofitted with OASIS do not have onboard power. This means that you only have a half chance of getting a USB and power socket at your seat.

Main Cabin

The A321 Main Cabin has a 3x3 configuration. The seats are 16.3 inches to 17.7 inches in width and 31-32 inches high. The average seat width is 16.3 to 17.7 inches with 31-32 inches of pitch. However, OASIS-configured planes have a tighter fit. American claims that the smaller size of the seats compensates the decreased legroom. However, traveller reviews are generally negative. Legacy American versions include 36 "Main Cabin Extra", which offer 5 inches more legroom. You can purchase these seats after purchase and pay $35-75 per person per direction depending on the length of your flight. Ex-US Airways versions have 15 Main Cabin Additional Seats, which are all exit row seats or bulkheads. You can reserve Main Cabin Additional for free if you are an American AAdvantage member.

Due to COVID, food and beverage service on all American flights has been cut. COVID has reduced the availability of food and beverages on American planes. A snack kit will be handed to you on board for flights over 900 miles. The kit will contain a small amount of hand sanitizer, a bottle water, and a Bischoff or pretzel cookie. There is no alcohol available in the Main Cabin, except for a small fee. Also, there is no food or drink for purchase.

First Class Cabin

American's A321's come with 4 rows of first-class, arranged in a 2x2 format. A few of the retrofits have an additional first-class row. This makes it easier to upgrade. These seats are the domestic first class of your garden. They are better than economy, but nothing special. You will be able to view your video on the seat if you choose one of the legacy-American models.

No food will be served to passengers on flights below 900 miles due to COVID-related modifications. First class passengers who fly 900 miles or more can choose from a continental breakfast or a turkey and Swiss croissant. Two lunch/dinner options will be available for flights departing between 9:45am - 9:00pm: A fruit & cheese plate and a turkey & Havarti Sandwich. All meals will come pre-packed. All drinks, including alcoholic beverages are available upon request, regardless the duration or flight time.

COVID Cleaning

American has adopted its "Clean Commitment" in order to ensure safety for passengers flying with it. Every passenger over two years old must wear a mask, except for eating or drinking. The A319's are equipped with hospital-grade HEPA air filters that replenish the air every 2 to 3 minutes. American has begun to use Surface Wise, an innovative coating that kills 99.9% of surface viruses, on its planes. Before every flight, all high touch surfaces such as tray tables, seatbelt buckles and armrests, window shades and seatback screens, overhead bin handles, doors, and windows are cleaned.

American is currently the only airline to fly a three-cabin aircraft from New York to Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. It offers economy, first, and business seating. American offers many compelling reasons to fly the A321T, including:

• First-class All aisle access in first class I love the seating arrangement of Americans A321T. You don't have to climb over your seatmate in order to reach the aisle. First class passengers have easy access to the galley and restrooms. You can also stretch your legs in an aisle.
• Fully lie-flat seats in business and first class This is a game changer for many travelers who fly from New York to connect to other destinations via Los Angeles and San Francisco. On long-haul flights, travelers appreciate the added comfort of fully-flat seats. Even if you are flying trans continentally, it is nice to have this level of comfort.
• First class amenities Flight attendants hand out Bose noise cancelling headsets for passengers to use on the flight. Each passenger also receives an amenity kit filled with products from Akhassa's holistic line.
• Six inches more legroom in Main Cabin Coach passengers feel a lot more comfortable with Americans A321T because each seat has six inches more legroom than traditional seating. Main Cabin Extra (premium economic) and Main Cabin Main Cabin seats are 18 inches in width. Main Cabin pitch measures 31 to 32 inches and Main Cabin Extra pitches 35 to 37 inches.
• All seats have USB ports and AC outlets There are many electronic devices onboard planes these days, so having in-seat power is a plus.
• Wi-Fi in-flight This is great for those who need to do some work on the flight and also for those who just want to check their emails.
• In-flight entertainment This airline upgraded its personal entertainment systems to include up to 200 movies, 180 TV shows, and hundreds of audio programs. There are even 20 games.