After ferrying from Airbus’ Hamburg, Germany manufacturing facility, United’s first A321neo arrived in the U.S. on Monday. The Chicago-based airline is gearing up to begin service with the new aircraft in December.
After announcing an order for more aircraft in early October, United now has 180 A321neo series aircraft planned for its fleet, including the longer-range A321XLR variant. Registered as N44501, the carrier’s first A321neo was officially delivered on Thursday, according to a post by Airbus. The factory-fresh aircraft flew from Hamburg to Houston on Monday, via Reykjavik and Cleveland.
After completing the over 5,000-mile journey, N44501 is set to go through induction at the carrier’s Houston maintenance base. The new jet was met with a water canon salute upon arrival at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Welcoming our new Airbus A321NEO to the family!@united pic.twitter.com/Ha96Gdiqtw
— Marcel Hoy (@HoyMarcel) October 17, 2023
United plans to launch service with the A321neo on Dec. 14, 2023 from Chicago O’Hare to Phoenix and Fort Lauderdale. The inaugural A321neo flight aptly bears the flight number UA321.
Where Will United’s A321neos Fly in 2024
According to Cirium data, United will broaden the fleet type’s network in January 2024, adding flights to Fort Myers, Las Vegas, and Orlando, all from its Chicago hub. United’s A321neos are expected to have 200 total seats with 20 in First Class and 180 in Economy.
United has recently been investing heavily in modernizing its fleet of aging aircraft. In 2024, the airline expects to receive over 140 new aircraft. However, recent supply chain woes at both Airbus and Boeing have delayed some delivery timelines, per Reuters.
