I'd argue that a subfleet with a larger and enhanced front cabin also be used for midcons on the handful of elite heavy/high business travel routes where domestic F sells well (i.e. DFW-BOS, DFW-JFK, DFW-DCA come to mind). But now we are just dreaming, and the more variants there are the more difficult for AA to manage....

Exactly. The data is clear - the paid J demand (and willingness to pay) is massively higher on NYC-LAX/SFO than any other route. The 321T is simply not viable anywhere but those two routes, and even SFO is marginal. AA's paid J yields are in the trash on BOS-LAX since UA joined B6 in being all flatbed, but there is simply no easy solution.

How are these other airlines making money where AA can't?

There's plenty of paid J business on the BOS-LAX route, and good yields if the plane has flat bed. B6 and UA are not having a problem with it. The issue is that there isn't the paid F (three class) demand to fill the 321T.

AA needs to either get more 2-class planes with flat bed in J to serve this route, or sell the F cabin as J on the 321T for non NYC-LAX routes, so that they don't have a third of the plane going empty. Right now they are not competitive. Why would you book J BOS-LAX with the A321 or B737 "recliners" when you are guaranteed a flat bed on B6 and UA?

Disagree. I routinely buy Mint and UA biz for $400-$620 one way. I can assure you that filling the A321T's J cabin at $600 apiece (even if you are able to sell all the seats, which is certainly not a guarantee) is not going to be a profitable endeavor by any means. Those 20 J seats take the place of 72 Y seats on the non transcon A321.

Need to fly LAX-BOS on 1/29. Never fly this route. None of the 3 flights are listed as a A321T and there's no Biz available. Was the 3-class discontinued?

yup!

They could put 757s or 767s on this route. I wonder why they don't do that.

They're too busy ripping out the IFE on 737's and Oasis :/

You do have the option to fly through JFK on route to BOS if you're really keen on the 321T.. It'll just cost you a pretty penny and by no means optimal.

No real reason to. Just was looking for it.

Not enough of them. The 757s have gone back to covering routes that the MAX8 was slated to take over. AA is also launching intl routes like none other, so just not enough fleet slack.

Long term, they do need a 757 replacement such as a 321neo or 737MAX10 with lie flats to compete on such routes with DL and B6

JetBlue has 34 Mint A321ceos that they seem to make money on transcons. It seems like there might be some money to be made with a 16J lie flat configuration on "semi-premium" transcons like BOS-LAX, LAX-DCA, maybe JFK-SFO on some days due to less demand for F.

The TWA fleet used P&W engines as does Delta/UA - AA's fleet always has used RR. Those planes were eliminated to keep a common engine type.

Simplicity versus strategic thinking....seems to be how AA operates these days.