United Airlines is adding flights to European destinations next summer, thanks to a brand-new airplane. The Airbus A321XLR is a single-aisle plane that allows the airline to fly to destinations that might not have enough demand to fill a larger jet. American Airlines was the first U.S. airline to fly the aircraft in 2025.
Starting April 2027, United will fly A321XLRs from Newark to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Marseille, France; Ibiza, Spain; and Valencia, Spain. It will also fly from Washington, D.C., to Toulouse, France.
I was invited to tour the aircraft as part of United’s summer route announcement. Here’s what flyers can expect onboard next summer.
United’s A321XLR layout
The A321XLR is a narrowbody jet, meaning it has one aisle with seats on either side. The aircraft, which comes equipped with free Starlink Wi-Fi for United MileagePlus members, has 150 seats. Here’s the breakdown:
- 20 lie-flat Polaris business class suites: 10 rows in a 1-1 configuration.
- 12 Premium Plus seats: Three rows in a 2-2 configuration.
- 118 economy seats, with 34 of those offering Economy Plus extra legroom.
That means 32 of the available seats are a premium offering — more than 20% of the total seats. While this plane has 10 rows of first class, a similar Airbus A321neo typically has only five rows of first class, and no premium plus cabin.
On the A321XLR, the economy cabin doesn’t start until the middle of the aircraft — behind the set of exit rows.
» Learn more: The complete guide to United MileagePlus
Polaris suites with privacy doors
The A321XLR will come with lie-flat Polaris business class seats and sliding privacy doors — a first for United on a narrowbody plane.
“This seat has been designed specifically to create a widebody experience on a narrowbody aircraft,” said Andrew Nocella, United’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, at the event.
While every seat has both window and aisle access, passengers face away from the window, which will be disappointing for those who love staring out at the clouds.
I found the seat to be comfortable with ample shoulder space, and it draws in many of the same design elements that United used for its ultra-premium “Elevated” Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
However, I spoke with a frequent flyer with United’s top-tier Premier 1K status who was 6'4" and they said it would have been difficult to maneuver in the space if they were any taller.
The seats also come with upgraded screens that swivel out and are significantly larger than what you’d usually get on a United narrowbody plane.
In terms of storage, there’s a shelf cubby with a mirror where you can store miscellaneous items, as well as a smaller table area that comes with a wireless charging pad. You also have a dedicated area to store your glasses, which I found to be a thoughtful touch.
To put your seat into lie-flat mode, use the touchscreen that also allows you to adjust lumbar support and illuminate the seat’s “do not disturb” indicator.
United’s Premium Plus section might be the sleeper hit on this plane, and a United representative was quick to point out that the seats were slightly wider than similar Premium Plus seats on different aircraft types.
I’ve often struggled with storage space on past Premium Plus flights, so I really liked the different storage areas incorporated into the seat, such as the small slot beneath the screen, the seatback pocket, a water bottle holder and additional space beneath the cocktail tray.
There’s also a divider that slides out if you need some extra privacy from your neighbor.
🤓Nerdy Tip
The fast-charging USB-C ports found at your seat are capable of charging a laptop.
Economy seats (with some fun upgrades)
The economy section has some of the most interesting upgrades on the plane, including a snack bar at the back and a single row with blocked middle seats.
While the vast majority of rows have three seats on each side of the plane, the third Economy Plus row comes with blocked middle seats — akin to what you’d find when flying business class within Europe.
There’s a fixed table that can support up to 300 pounds in the middle seat, which allows passengers in the row to have additional elbow room. However, the table can’t be removed, so you also won’t be able to lift the armrests. The seatback screen is shut off for that middle seat as well.
In the back of the cabin, you’ll find three lavatories for Premium Plus and economy passengers (with one in front for Polaris flyers).
United also took out a row of seats in the back to add a snack bar, allowing you to grab a quick bite to eat or something to drink.
My favorite part is the seatback screen, which felt humongous for an economy seat. I do wish the tray tables were slightly larger though.
How can I fly on the Airbus A321XLR?
United’s newest plane will start on domestic flights in September 2026, before it begins international service on Dec. 1. To start, you can expect to find it on routes from Washington Dulles International Airport to Amsterdam and Dublin.
However, you’ll need to wait until 2027 if you want to fly it to the smaller European cities in Luxembourg, France and Spain. The biggest benefit of these routes is that you’ll be able to avoid a European layover, which can be a hassle as the European Union faces implementation struggles with its new Entry/Exit System.
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