American Airlines’ premium transcontinental service onboard the Airbus A321T offers additional amenities over AA’s other domestic economy class flights and proved an efficient way to travel from New York to Los Angeles in Main Cabin Extra with a bit of extra legroom.
American Airlines A321T Main Cabin Extra Review (JFK-LAX)
After arriving from Doha with less than one hour until my connecting flight departed, I high-tailed it through passport control. Thanks to Global Entry, I made it through in a few minutes, quickly cleared security in JFK Terminal 8 (despite the lack of Clear), made my way via the underground tunnel to my gate, and reached it just as boarding was commencing.
Missed Upgrade
My upgrade did not clear from New York to Los Angeles, which gave me the chance to review economy class on the A321T, AA’s specially-configured Airbus A321 designed for coast-to-coast travel between key markets.
AA prioritizes upgrades by status first, so an AAdvantage Platinum seeking a complimentary space-available upgrade would be above me, an AAdvatnage Gold, using miles + co-pay. I think that is a bad system (United MileagePlus will prioritize “paid” upgrades over complimentary upgrades), but it is what it is. After a 15-hour flight from Doha to New York that I spent 2/3 of sleeping, I certainly did not need any more sleep.
American Airlines (AA) 255
New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX)
Wednesday, October 12
Depart: 10:30 AM
Arrive: 01:30 PM
Duration: 06 hr, 00 min
Distance: 2,475 miles
Aircraft: Airbus A321T
Seat: 14A (Main Cabin Extra)
I was first onboard and flight attendants did not offer a greeting; they still appeared to be prepping the cabin for the flight.
Seat
Stepping onboard through door 1, I walked through first class and business class before finding my seat in 14A. Main Cabin Extra, which includes four extra inches of legroom, spans rows 11-16.
Due to the premium-heavy of the aircraft, the entire economy class cabin is only 72 seats. The 3-3 configuration a width of 17.7 inches, legroom of 35 inches, and an adjustable headrest.
The power power is located directly in front of you just below the literature pocket, which is much easier to plug in electronic devices than trying to find the plug under or between the seats.
Each seat has an individual air nozzle in the passenger service unit above.
Eventually, the flight filled up (every seat appeared full). A very loud family of five occupied the row behind me, with one of the kids using an electronic device (doing “homework” according to his mother) without headphones. Thankfully, complimentary headphones were distributed to all economy class passengers and the kid used them.
We pushed back on time and the captain announced a flying time of five hours and 25 minutes.
Food + Drink
American Airlines serves complimentary meals on domestic routes longer than 2,200 miles. A choice of beverage was offered after takeoff, followed by a choice of brekfast:
- Fruit + Cheese Plate
- Plain bagel + yogurt (Chobani blended)
- Overnight Oats + Blueberries
I chose the fruit and cheese plate, which included:
- Grapes
- Cream crackers
- Cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Gouda cheese
- Chocolate
No complaints – this was a very nice snack.
90 minutes before landing, flight attendants offered a second beverage service with a small bag of pretzels.
I quite appreciate the complimentary meal service and enjoyed the fruit and cheese plate (not that I was all that hungry after two breakfasts just a couple hours earlier…)
IFE + Wi-Fi
A Wi-Fi pass on the flight was $35 (or $29 for a two hour pass) —I passed on it. If I had work to complete, I would have paid it, but one reason I worked so hard the previous day was so that I could unplug on the flights home.
Seatback monitors provided in-flight-entertainment including a section of music, games, TV programs, and movies. Apple TV+ is available as well and I do enjoy Jon Stewart’s program on that channel.
Streaming entertainment from handheld devices was also complimentary over the aircraft’s intranet system.
As I mentioned above, complimentary handsets were provided.
I spent most of the flight writing, but did not need internet for it.
Service
Nothing stood out to me in terms of exemplary service on this flight, though flight attendants were efficient in performing their beverage services and did come through the cabin at a couple points in between with water.
Lavatory
My seatmates did not get up once during the flight, so I did not either…However, here’s a picture of the economy class lavatory from a previous flight on this aircraft:
CONCLUION
We landed on-time in LA and I was able to get home in 30 minutes after walking to my car, beating the heavy afternoon traffic.
I’m a United Airlines guy…it’s just who I am. That simply will not change. Even so, I quite appreciated traveling Delta earlier this year and for this trip on American Airlines.
AA does a lot of things right and I appreciated the easy-to-reach power port, complimentary breakfast, and friendly service on this flight.
I think AA does a great job on transcons, but obviously you need to be in a premium cabin. I’m going to miss the 321T. I think the FAs generally like working these routes, and who could blame them?
Why are they still serving pretzels? too much sodium, makes people thirsty; only 2 bev. services during the long 5 1/2 hr. flt. Why not a different type of snack? only 2 services during long flt. isn’t very good. Need to stay hydrated when around so many people, so close.
I tell the flight attendants all the time “THESE PRETZELS are making ME thirsty!”
Hey, TV on an AA plane! 😀
Nice aircraft, too bad I can’t fly it, not because it’s AA, but because I live in the middle of the country so I have to fly a transcon purely for the sake of flying transcon, and my avgeek nerd levels isn’t that high to actually pursue that.
no bathroom break on a transcon? Either you have a bladder of steel that I haven’t read about before, or you may not be staying hydrated enough when flying
Well, I had two cups of coffee and a can of club soda. Usually, I don’t like to “hold it” but on this flight I did because the passenger next to me was sleeping. Let’s just say I rushed to a restroom when we reached our gate at LAX.
Legitimately pathetic food options for a 5.5 hour transcontinental flight….there is no depth to which U.S. carriers won’t sink.
And yet UA provides no complimentary food. This is better than nothing.
Way better than what AA provides on non-premium transcon routes. Just flew LAX-PHL in MCE and the only food was a single biscoff offered halfway through the flight. Didn’t even have food for purchase and no second drink service.
Excellent bladder control. Kudos for leaving your fellow row mates asleep. But this is why your elders need an aisle seat.
Also I felt 8-10 grapes a little short for a fruit plate. But they did make the rounds for water. That alone has value to me.
It amazes me you slept 10 hours on the prior flight. I’m unable to sleep on a plane. Even on a 16 hour flight in lie flat seats I get no sleep. Do you take sleeping aids?
Regarding a window seat, I personally would give up main cabin extra privileges and sit further back in the plane and give up those inches for an aisle seat. But that’s a personal preference. I would have to get up 3 or 4 times on a flight that length. But that’s what an enlarged prostate demands.
That breakfast looks superior to what UA serves in J on the t-cons.
While it’s nice they served you something, I’d say this counts as a snack more than a meal.