Jan 31, 2017, 4:10 pm
Last edit by: DenverBrian
AA (legacy US Airways) Airbus A321-200 "321"
The older legacy US Airways Airbus A321-200 is shown as "321" in AA schedules. (Newer legacy AA A321s are listed as "32B" as they have "Sharklet" wingtip devices installed, and include two class A321S and A321H ETOPS and three class A321T transcontinental versions.)
NOTE: in accordance with AA “Project Oasis” all A321-200s will be retrofitted between 2019 and 2021. Business / First cabins will use the seats found today in the AA A319, with reduced seat pitch and recline. MCE and MC will have the Rockwell Collins slimline Meridian seats with reduced pitch and recline. Lavatories will be ultra-slim Rockwell Collins Spacewall lavs. See Oasis: New seats & less pitch, WiFi IFE & power all 737 and A321 2019-21 for further information.
As conversion begins we will start a new thread, and you should be able to see which configuration a particular aircraft has by referencing the (unofficial) American Airlines Fleet Site here.
The legacy US Airways A321s are currently unmodified, though a few have been reupholstered, have new carpeting and bulkhead liners. These have less seat pitch and recline in the First cabin, no Main Cabin Extra seats other than the few with greater seat pitch (e.g. bulkhead / 5, Exit rows 9, 10, 22, and 23) and have neither seatback IFE nor at seat power provisions. They do have GoGo WiFi and free streaming audio and video entertainment for your WiFi capable devices..
Note 10 ABC (fixed armrests with deploying trays) or F, 23 A and F seem to be preferred by some members.
Please see AA to install same new seats in 737-800s and A321s but add more of them for information on the plan to install new B/E Aerospace Meridian slimline seats in a denser pattern and 30" seat pitch in Main Cabin in 2019. (We will dedicate a thread to the CIP / modified A321 when that aircraft becomes current with the AA fleet.)
The A320-321 refurbishment thread may be read here.
Older posts from 2014 and 2015 have been archived here.
Updated 31 Jan 2017 - JDiver
Airbus A321 (legacy US Airways A321-200) master thread
Sep 14, 2019, 5:32 pm
#301
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 206
10F will have the crew seat in front of you, blocking use of underseat storage in front of you. It's also going to be occupied by a crew member staring right back at you during takeoffs and landings. Again, I prefer my recommendation for the ample storage, easy luggage stowing, immediate aisle access and a window seat to sleep on, and you're very close to the mid-section lav. Hope you're able to get some sleep!
Sep 26, 2019, 5:23 am
#302
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HSV
Programs: Silver MileagePlus, Diamond Hilton
Posts: 672
Row 9/22 A321
Newbie to AA. Can anyone insight if the 2 seaters on the US air legacy 321 recline. Wondering if good pick for wife and I. Like the 2 seater but don’t want a non recliner seat.
Sep 26, 2019, 7:36 am
#303
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington DC Metro Area
Programs: A: PP, LTG/1.5M | UA: SLV | Bonvoy LTTi | IHG PLT| Avis PC | Nat'l Emerald Club EE
Posts: 1,067
Can't speak to row 22 at all, but note they are immediately aft of the mid-cabin lavatory--not ideal.
SeatGuru is a generally good reference and includes reviews; here's the link for that configuration: AA A321 Layout 2
cheers!
Sep 26, 2019, 9:02 am
#305
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
I completely agree about Row 22. I usually book 23F, and you can even clearly see that the right edge of 22E is not flush with the right edge of 23E. I booked it once and found it very unpleasant. Admittedly I'm usually on 4-5 hour flights.
Sep 26, 2019, 12:32 pm
#306
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA - Plat, HHonors - Diamond, IHG - Plat, Marriott - Gold, National - Exec, Amtrak - Select, NEXUS
Posts: 1,075
I agree with the caution on row 22, and I fly these pretty regularly - especially when I'm going transcon (PHL-PHX in particular).
23F is the best coach seat in AA's fleet in my opinion. I've booked 22D or E in the past when 23F was already taken, and they aren't great. Legroom is basically infinite but recline is poor and the hard armrests narrow the seat significantly. I wouldn't have an issue if you know your seatmate, but if not expect to rub shoulders the whole flight with a stranger.
Then there is the proximity to the lav, especially with 22D. you get a lot of butt in your face while pax queue at the lav, and a lot of smelly door openings about two feet from your seat.
Those seats are way behind 23F and 10A/C/B in my book, and even possibly a standard coach seat because of the irregularities with row 22. I definitely would NEVER pay for MCE to get row 22 (not that I have to as a Plat, but I wanted to throw that in there).
23F is the best coach seat in AA's fleet in my opinion. I've booked 22D or E in the past when 23F was already taken, and they aren't great. Legroom is basically infinite but recline is poor and the hard armrests narrow the seat significantly. I wouldn't have an issue if you know your seatmate, but if not expect to rub shoulders the whole flight with a stranger.
Then there is the proximity to the lav, especially with 22D. you get a lot of butt in your face while pax queue at the lav, and a lot of smelly door openings about two feet from your seat.
Those seats are way behind 23F and 10A/C/B in my book, and even possibly a standard coach seat because of the irregularities with row 22. I definitely would NEVER pay for MCE to get row 22 (not that I have to as a Plat, but I wanted to throw that in there).
Oct 5, 2019, 12:27 pm
#308
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I have a trip with the outbound tomorrow and the return BOS-PHL-TPA (both 321s); on Oct 22; I'd managed to snag 23F on both.
So I just tried online checkin and discovered that all my seats had changed! I actually had no assignment on the outbound.
I was able to reclaim my outbound 319 bulkhead preference and amazingly 23F was still open BOS-PHL. No such luck on PHL-TPA -- they'd moved me to 10A (with no-one in 10B) so I decided to stay with that.
I've got certs to burn so upgrade requests are in for all, so this might be moot. Or maybe lucky Mr/Ms 23F will get an upgrade.
So I just tried online checkin and discovered that all my seats had changed! I actually had no assignment on the outbound.
I was able to reclaim my outbound 319 bulkhead preference and amazingly 23F was still open BOS-PHL. No such luck on PHL-TPA -- they'd moved me to 10A (with no-one in 10B) so I decided to stay with that.
I've got certs to burn so upgrade requests are in for all, so this might be moot. Or maybe lucky Mr/Ms 23F will get an upgrade.
Oct 6, 2019, 8:45 am
#309
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,136
I have a trip with the outbound tomorrow and the return BOS-PHL-TPA (both 321s); on Oct 22; I'd managed to snag 23F on both.
So I just tried online checkin and discovered that all my seats had changed! I actually had no assignment on the outbound.
I was able to reclaim my outbound 319 bulkhead preference and amazingly 23F was still open BOS-PHL. No such luck on PHL-TPA -- they'd moved me to 10A (with no-one in 10B) so I decided to stay with that.
I've got certs to burn so upgrade requests are in for all, so this might be moot. Or maybe lucky Mr/Ms 23F will get an upgrade.
So I just tried online checkin and discovered that all my seats had changed! I actually had no assignment on the outbound.
I was able to reclaim my outbound 319 bulkhead preference and amazingly 23F was still open BOS-PHL. No such luck on PHL-TPA -- they'd moved me to 10A (with no-one in 10B) so I decided to stay with that.
I've got certs to burn so upgrade requests are in for all, so this might be moot. Or maybe lucky Mr/Ms 23F will get an upgrade.
Oct 26, 2019, 9:38 am
#310
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 8
Bulkhead seems appealing, however then I need to worry about the carry-ons (rollerboard and briefcase). The risk of a non-BH seat then being the broken seat back in front of you ending up practically in your lap (which I experienced last week). Just curious as to others’ experiences... Thanks
Oct 26, 2019, 12:05 pm
#311
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Anyone have thoughts as to the best F seats on this plane?
Bulkhead seems appealing, however then I need to worry about the carry-ons (rollerboard and briefcase). The risk of a non-BH seat then being the broken seat back in front of you ending up practically in your lap (which I experienced last week). Just curious as to others’ experiences... Thanks
Bulkhead seems appealing, however then I need to worry about the carry-ons (rollerboard and briefcase). The risk of a non-BH seat then being the broken seat back in front of you ending up practically in your lap (which I experienced last week). Just curious as to others’ experiences... Thanks
Oct 26, 2019, 10:07 pm
#312
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,449
I've never had a problem with my battery, it's called a back up, they are cheap and last the whole flight.
Oct 27, 2019, 11:20 am
#313
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Oct 29, 2019, 4:12 pm
#314
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
I have a trip with the outbound tomorrow and the return BOS-PHL-TPA (both 321s); on Oct 22; I'd managed to snag 23F on both.
So I just tried online checkin and discovered that all my seats had changed! I actually had no assignment on the outbound.
I was able to reclaim my outbound 319 bulkhead preference and amazingly 23F was still open BOS-PHL. No such luck on PHL-TPA -- they'd moved me to 10A (with no-one in 10B) so I decided to stay with that.
I've got certs to burn so upgrade requests are in for all, so this might be moot. Or maybe lucky Mr/Ms 23F will get an upgrade.
So I just tried online checkin and discovered that all my seats had changed! I actually had no assignment on the outbound.
I was able to reclaim my outbound 319 bulkhead preference and amazingly 23F was still open BOS-PHL. No such luck on PHL-TPA -- they'd moved me to 10A (with no-one in 10B) so I decided to stay with that.
I've got certs to burn so upgrade requests are in for all, so this might be moot. Or maybe lucky Mr/Ms 23F will get an upgrade.
Oct 29, 2019, 8:24 pm
#315
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
Regarding F, I tend toward 1C or 1D, although it is a bit annoying to have to put my "underseat" bag overhead.
Regarding Y, one other nice thing about 23F is that it's much easier to get to the aisle. You don't climb over the pax in 23 D/E, you go forward and past 22 D/E, who have enough legroom that they barely have to pull in their feet. And 23F has underseat storage under 21F (not true of 23A because of the crew jumpseat). 23F, interestingly, is not MCE but "preferred." So you can't buy it, but it's free for all elites. You don't get free drinks like MCE does, but I rarely drink liquor anyway.
Regarding Y, one other nice thing about 23F is that it's much easier to get to the aisle. You don't climb over the pax in 23 D/E, you go forward and past 22 D/E, who have enough legroom that they barely have to pull in their feet. And 23F has underseat storage under 21F (not true of 23A because of the crew jumpseat). 23F, interestingly, is not MCE but "preferred." So you can't buy it, but it's free for all elites. You don't get free drinks like MCE does, but I rarely drink liquor anyway.
