American has elevated transcontinental travel with the inaugural flight of its Airbus A321XLR, carrying more than 150 passengers between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

As the only U.S.-based airline to operate the A321XLR, American’s Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said the aircraft is a class above the rest, offering customers a Flagship Suite Premium Economy and Main Cabin experience.

She said customers on the inaugural flight during December received a gift bag that included a specially designed flight tag to commemorate the aircraft’s first transcontinental flight.

“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,” Garboden said.

As American takes delivery of additional A321XLR aircraft, the airline will schedule the aircraft on its transcontinental routes between Boston (BOS)-LAX and JFK-San Francisco (SFO) for service starting early next year.

She said this additional transcontinental service will complement new service between JFK and Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI), that will launch on the XLR on March 8, 2026.