United is preparing to put its Airbus A321XLR into international service this winter, with the aircraft scheduled to begin transatlantic flying on Dec. 1.
The jet will initially operate from Washington Dulles to Amsterdam and Dublin. Tickets for the first international flights are scheduled to go on sale Thursday, Aug. 27.
Before its international debut, the A321XLR is expected to operate select domestic routes beginning in September. United has not identified those routes.
“The XLR is a niche airplane that is really good at operating long-haul missions,” Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, said during a news conference Monday.
United’s configuration will include 20 Polaris suites and 12 Premium Plus seats, giving the aircraft 32 premium seats. Each Polaris suite will feature a privacy door. According to the carrier, the A321XLR will have 16 more premium seats than its Boeing 757-200.
Other features include 4K OLED entertainment screens with Bluetooth connectivity, complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members and a snack bar in economy. United is also introducing an Economy Plus option with additional space and access to a shared table across an open middle seat.
“Any airline flying that XLR today does not have our seat and does not have our product,” Quayle said. He added that the combination of the onboard product and nonstop service to cities that otherwise require a connection makes United “quite bullish” on the aircraft.
Range Concerns Loom
Still, Quayle acknowledged that the aircraft’s range is below what Airbus initially advertised.
“Originally, when Airbus marketed it, it was a lot further than what it is right now as constructed and as built,” he said. “I feel like we’re very conservative with the range of the aircraft.”
United ordered the A321XLR in 2019. Asked whether the airline will receive enough aircraft to support its planned schedule, Quayle said United is confident in the revised delivery stream from Airbus.
The carrier took delivery of its first A321XLR in June.
“We feel confident that we will have the number of aircraft needed in order to operate the schedule,” he said.
The aircraft will also support the retirement of United’s aging Boeing 757 fleet. Quayle said the airline plans to phase out the older aircraft as additional A321XLRs enter service.
“As the one fleet is building up, the other fleet will be draining down,” he said.
During summer 2027, United plans to operate the A321XLR from Newark to Luxembourg, Ibiza, Valencia and Marseille, along with service between Washington Dulles, and Toulouse, France. Luxembourg and Toulouse will operate year-round, while the three other routes will run into October.
