Airbus A321XLR Operates Cool 13+ Hour Test Flight

Good to see American ditching their transcon configured A321 fleet and using the XLR for that purpose in between hops across the Atlantic and Latin America. Does jetBlue intend to do the same once they get theirs?

What are the likely routes for the A321XLR that can't be performed by any other single-aisle aircraft?

A lot of transatlantic that's covered by the aging 757.

This is likely a game changer. Customers demand fewer stops / faster itineraries. More range on a smaller plane = more long, thin routes.
Long ago, there was a lot of JFK-LAX flying since it took a widebody to do a transcontinental. Narrow body aircraft doing transcontinental flights opened up flights from JFK to SNA, SAN, ONT etc.

I'm not sure if I can link the diagram, but the A321XLR marketing infographic gives some possible future routes:
KEF-IAH, IAH-SCL, IAH-HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH, ANC-MIA, MIA-EZE, ANC-NRT (I think that used to exist, but it was basically mandatory for US-Japan refueling), NRT-SYD, AKL-HNL, KUL-AKL, KUL-DXB, DEL-LHR, LHR-MIA, CPT-DXB, NYC-FCO

That would be quite a list, but to give you an idea, United's previous Newark-Berlin was the longest 757 route. Remember, the limiting factor is westbound in the winter when headwinds are the highest.

The A321XLR has about 800 miles more range than the 757, so you can see the various points in Eastern Europe that would become available.

"United's previous Newark-Berlin was the longest 757 route"

...for United specifically.

"The longest 757 route" on a roundtrip scheduled basis, was MX's CUN-EZE.

If we're counting 1-way routes, then the record scheduled 757 op was the eastbound POP-TXL by DE.

The longest 757 scheduled nonstop operated by any US carrier, was the eastbound HNL-STL by TW, often swapped with a 767.

Wonder if the toilet tank is bigger.

MIA-FLN

Stick to the 3 hour rule. Don’t over extend your arm, your asking for troubles. You have already water freezing up in aft galley on a 7 hour flight.

Thanks for the information. The B757 comparison is very helpful.

Let's hope that long-haul on an A321XLR will be a lot more comfortable than on a B757. My wife and I made two CLT-DUB roundtrips on B757s. Neither was particularly pleasant but they were at least on time and safe.

Which airline will be the first to fly the XLR?

13hour flight with limited washroom is really not gonna be ideal.

Excellent

Love the Airbus........the XLR will only make them better.

i didn't think it was healthy sitting for so long on these long(er) range flights