• The Airbus A321XLR is revolutionizing long-haul travel with its 11-hour range.
• The versatile jet can reach far-away places and fit into mainline and budget business models.
• Launch customer Iberia and soon-to-be A321XLR operator Wizz Air have very different cabin approaches.

The Airbus A321XLR is the European manufacturer's latest long-haul, narrow-body plane.

With its 11-hour range and smaller size, the jet is set to revolutionize how people travel.

Airlines can now more easily fly to lower-demand markets previously unprofitable with a widebody or to far-away places previously unreachable with other single-aisle planes.

The A321XLR first entered service with Spanish flag carrier Iberia in November. The airline flew seven hours from Madrid to Boston, equipping the plane with lie-flat business class and economy.

With 550 orders, the plane has garnered interest from both mainline and budget carriers — but not all experiences will be equal.

European budget carrier Wizz Air is not far behind Iberia, with its first A321XLR expected to trek seven hours from London to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, starting in March — but it won't be close to high-end.

The two carrier's plans for their new planes showcase the model's versatility.

Iberia will offer business class.

Iberia wanted to provide luxury onboard its long-haul A321XLR with business class. It's similar to JetBlue Airways' Mint cabin but without popular sliding doors.

The high-dollar cabin, which can cost $5,000 or more roundtrip, comes with a large Bluetooth-capable television, linens, hot meals, alcohol, and a lie-flat recliner.

Other A321XLR buyers, including United Airlines and American Airlines, also plan to offer lie-flat business class to target premium travelers. American's will have a door.

Economy will offer decent space and amenities.

Iberia's economy cabin has comforts like an adjustable headrest, deep recline, a Bluetooth-capable screen, charging ports, extra storage slots in the seatback pocket, and 30-31 inches of seat pitch.

The legroom is on par with other mainline carriers, but taller travelers can choose a bulkhead or exit row with 40 inches of pitch.

Iberia's Bluetooth feature is rare on airlines and it allows Iberia flyers to connect their own wireless headphones to the screen.

Hot meals and linens are included on Iberia.

Iberia offers what is typical on a mainline, long-haul flight. This means travelers will get linens and hot meals included in their fare.

The airline also offers free messaging via WiFi, with internet browsing and streaming available for a fee.

Wizz's A321XLR approach is very different.

Wizz is a low-cost carrier that built its business on offering cheap fares at the expense of onboard comforts — and the airline continues to push the limits of flyer tolerance.

"Fifteen, 20 years ago, I thought three hours would test passenger tolerance, and then we pushed it to six hours, and we are still fine," Wizz CEO József Váradi said during a September press conference in London. "You kind of suffer the pain, if you wish, for the economic benefits that you are deriving from the transaction."

Iberia's A321XLR has 182 seats. Wizz's will cram in 239.

The all-economy cabin will offer minimal space.

Wizz said its A321XLR cabin will resemble that of its A321neo, which already flies across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

The plane doesn't come with business class seats or Iberia's amenity-heavy economy cabin. Instead, travelers can expect slim, cramped coach seats with no headrest, no television, and a tiny tray table.

The seat pitch is only 28 inches, and there is no recline. It'd be like flying on Spirit or Frontier, but for seven hours.

The cramped, all-economy cabin will be cheap, but it's an experience Wizz's CEO described as something customers must "suffer" through to save money.

Not even water is free.

Like its ultra-low-cost counterparts in the US, Wizz flights come with nothing included, except a personal item. This means any food or drinks — including water — costs extra.

"When you take a legacy carrier and you get a coffee for free, that is probably the most expensive cappuccino in your life," Varadi said. "We don't want to do that."

According to Wizz's online menus, food bundles start at £11.50, or about $12, and include a sandwich, drink, and snack. Soups start at £3.70, while a water bottle costs £3.20. Alcohol, chips, and coffee, among other items, are also on sale.

Don't expect any internet or entertainment.

Wizz keeps its fares low because it does not carry the extra weight many mainline carriers do, like seatback screens or WiFi. Flyers can pre-download content to a phone or tablet to watch during the flight.

"If you want to have more fun, you have to create the fun for yourself," Váradi told Bloomberg in September. "It's not going to be us who create it."

Some Wizz planes have a messaging platform, but it doesn't connect to the internet. It's uncertain if this will be on the A321XLRs.

Bags cost extra and unprepared flyers risk other fees.

Wizz flyers who want a carry-on or checked bag must pay extra. For the London to Jeddah flight in April, a 10-kilogram checked bag costs £95, or $120, and a carry-on costs £66, or $83, roundtrip at the time of booking.

The bags must also meet specific size and weight requirements or flyers risk even more fees at the airport.

Another fee is for assigned seats, which cost between £18 and £42 on the same flight. Flyers also need to check in online at least three hours before the flight or pay £40 at the airport per ticket.

Wizz customers willing to 'suffer' can save hundreds of dollars.

Major airlines British Airways and Saudia are the only other carriers that fly nonstop between London and Jeddah.

According to Google Flights, Wizz's basic fare is regularly a few hundred dollars cheaper than both mainline options.

That's without any add-ons like bags and seats, so customers should be sure to do the math for all options before booking.

• JetBlue will launch new international flights from Boston to Edinburgh and Madrid in May 2025.
• The new routes are part of a major network restructuring to boost revenue.
• JetBlue will compete with Iberia on the Madrid route, with both using A321neo family jets.

JetBlue Airways is redrawing its route network — and there is some good news for Europe-bound flyers.

JetBlue announced plans to launch two new transatlantic flights from Boston to Edinburgh and Madrid in May 2025. It will be the airline's first flight to Spain — bringing its total European destinations to five.

The struggling carrier will compete with just one airline to Madrid: Spanish flag carrier Iberia. Both will fly an Airbus A321neo family jet on the route, meaning travelers can expect a smaller plane across the Atlantic.

The new routes are part of a larger restructuring plan to bolster revenue. JetBlue has not turned a profit since 2019, largely due to high costs and failed deals with American Airlines and Spirit Airlines that hampered its expansion.

The airline announced over 50 route cuts in 2024 and ended service to 15 underperforming airports. It's now refocusing on the Northeast US and Florida, with additional flights to Europe and the Caribbean.

It's also deploying high-dollar Mint-business-class equipped planes to more high-demand markets, including the new Spain route.

Here's how JetBlue and Iberia's business and coach cabins compare on the seven-hour trek to Madrid.

JetBlue has more premium seating on its Airbus A321neos.

JetBlue flies its A321neo and A321LR variants across the Atlantic, the latter is a lower-ranged predecessor to Iberia's A321XLR and is more premium-heavy. They host 160 and 114 seats, respectively.

Each is equipped with lie-flat Mint seats, front-row Studios, and extra-legroom economy seats — the remaining are regular coach seats. Half of the A321LR cabin is premium seating.

Iberia has a higher-capacity A321XLR with 182 seats: 14 in business class and 168 in economy.

Iberia's smaller business class doesn't have doors.

JetBlue and Iberia chose the same seatmaker for their A321neo business class cabins, but Iberia did not install a sliding door. Mint has doors.

This goes against an industry-wide trend, with many global carriers, such as Korean Air, Air India, and Turkish Airlines, adding the popular feature.

Business Insider toured Iberia's A321XLR business class in November and found the angled seats and large wings offered more than enough privacy. Iberia likely wanted to save on costly weight and best optimize the cabin's already limited space.

The Spanish carrier also lacks a designated 'Studio.'

To cater to more business travelers, JetBlue installed a front-row "Mint Studio" on its A321neos, complete with a companion seat and extra storage. The seat is an upcharge.

Iberia did not include the extra-revenue option, meaning travelers have less choice in business class.

You'll otherwise get the usual business-class perks on both.

Because the seats are otherwise exactly the same design, travelers can expect similar comforts. This includes a lie-flat recliner, storage, and an inflight television. Both also include meals, linens, and an amenity kit.

Iberia's 18.5-inch screen is bigger than JetBlue's 17-inch one in regular Mint, though the Mint Studio hosts the largest overall at 22 inches.

However, JetBlue does not offer Bluetooth connectivity. Customers on Iberia can connect their own wireless headphones to the business-class screens — and that goes for the economy cabin, too.

Both have nice economy cabins.

The 3×3 economy cabins offer adjustable headrests, an inflight screen, extra storage slots in the seatback pocket, and linens.

JetBlue's 10.1-inch screen is smaller than Iberia's 12-inch Bluetooth one, but JetBlue travelers can connect their phone as a remote. JetBlue also offers free WiFi, while Iberia's is only free for messaging.

Iberia's seats recline up to four inches, while JetBlue's recline three inches. Thanks to Airbus' wider narrowbody cabin design, both coach options offer 18 inches of width.

Iberia has less legroom and fewer extra space seats in coach.

JetBlue has several rows of "Even More Space" seats to target flyers willing to pay extra for more legroom. The US carrier also offers an industry-leading 32 inches of legroom — beating out rivals like Delta and United.

Iberia's 40-inch-pitch extra legroom seats are only in the bulkhead and exit rows, meaning taller travelers have limited options for more space. The legroom is 30-31 inches, putting Iberia on par with US mainlines.

Avoid certain rows if you want a window.

Iberia does not have a window in row 39. The windows in rows 22 and 23 on JetBlue's A321LR and rows 23 and 24 on its A321neos are missing or misaligned.

If you pay extra for a window seat with hopes of a view, it's best to avoid these rows.

JetBlue doesn't offer hot meals in economy anymore.

In October, JetBlue stopped serving hot meals in economy on transatlantic flights in an effort to cut costs. Cold meals are now served, like a crepe for breakfast, a chicken grain bowl for lunch, or a pesto pasta salad for dinner.

Still, the meals come included in the fare — something that distinguishes JetBlue from other low-cost options like Norse Atlantic Airways where food costs extra.

Iberia customers can expect hot meals in coach, which is in line with what mainline carriers offer across the Atlantic.

Don't miss the hidden lavatory on Iberia.

Coach travelers on Iberia share three lavatories in the aft cabin, but the high-capacity cabin means the queue can get long and crowded — especially if the third one is overlooked, as can be the case.

It's located behind the flight attendant jump seat.

The A321neo narrowbodies offer convenience that widebodies don't.

Airbus' new long-ranged jets are changing the way people fly to Europe. Some people may worry about the smaller plane, but it has its benefits.

The tinier cabin may be cozier, plus deplaning and boarding are much quicker thanks to fewer people — and may be a saving grace during tight layovers.

• Multimillionaire "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran says she prefers flying economy to first class.
• She said she would rather accumulate her free miles and give them to her family for free vacations.
• Airfares are lower now compared to the past, but many Americans still feel they're not getting good deals.

"Shark Tank" star Barbara Cocoran may be a multimillionaire, but she still prefers to fly in economy.

On Tuesday's episode of "The Jamie Kern Lima Show" podcast, the entrepreneur spoke about her flying preferences and why she doesn't think the more expensive cabins are worth it.

"Do you know what a first-class ticket costs?" Cocoran told podcast host Jamie Kern Lima. "Listen, the way I figure it is, a coach ticket is about 25% of a first-class ticket. I get the free miles and I can give them away. I have everybody in my family flying on my free miles."

To her, that's a better way for her to spend her airline miles because it means her family can enjoy free trips.

"What's more important — that everybody gets free vacations, or that I'm comfortable in first class?" she said. "I guess I could afford to do both, but I won't because I'll be in coach feeling really smug because I know I have three plane tickets that could take somebody somewhere. It accumulates, you know?"

And it's not just Cocoran who feels that way.

Even though airfares are more affordable now compared to three decades ago — when adjusted for inflation — many Americans still don't feel like they're getting a good deal.

"Airfare is the single most confusing and volatile purchase we regularly make," Scott Keyes, an airline industry expert told Business Insider previously. "Combine that with negativity bias and it's no surprise that even as airfare hits historic lows, people are more likely to think it's at historic highs."

BI's Monica Humphries reviewed the business class cabin aboard an Air New Zealand flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand, in summer of 2022. The ticket cost $6,000, and even though it was the best flight of her life, she said she wouldn't do it again.

"For the same price as a round-trip flight, in theory, I could've paid for another three weeks in New Zealand, covered months of rent, or put a down payment on a new car," she wrote in her review. The cost of a one-way ticket for the same flight for summer next year is still around $6,000, according to Air New Zealand's website.

In order to save money on airfare, travel hacks like "skiplagging" — which involves booking a flight with a layover in the intended destination and then bailing on the second leg of the journey — have gained immense popularity in the past year. However, many airlines have taken a stance against the practice.

In an essay for BI, travel writer Jonathan DeLise wrote that his favorite way of saving money on airfare involves taking "positioning" flights instead of direct ones. First, he flies to an intermediary airport with better ticket deals, and then he starts his journey to his destination. While this method allows him to save on flights, it doesn't save him time.

A representative for Cocoran did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• After months of waiting, Emirates unveiled its first of 65 Airbus A350-900 aircraft on November 27.
• The jet has 312 seats across business, premium economy, and coach and will fly nine initial routes.
• Emirates president Tim Clark criticized Boeing at the delivery ceremony for continued 777X delays.

Emirates received a new jet type for the first time since 2008 with the arrival of its highly anticipated Airbus A350-900, but ill feelings about the plane's American rival were not absent from the milestone day.

Emirates revealed the 312-seat plane on November 27 at a delivery ceremony in Dubai. It features refreshed business and coach cabins including the airlines' popular premium economy.

The jet will complement the airline's other long-haul planes, like the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A380 double-decker, and should help Emirates further expand its global presence with new routes.

At the ceremony, Emirates president Tim Clark once again criticized Boeing for delays to the 777X. He said 85 of Boeing's new jet should be in the Emirates fleet by now.

"We are expansionists, as you know," he told the media, Reuters reported. "And we've had our wings clipped."

Boeing's new 777X widebody was expected to fly with Emirates years ago but is now not expected until at least 2026 amid ongoing production and design problems, Boeing's 737 Max quality control issues, and a now-ended seven-week labor strike.

Emirates has 205 of Boeing's new aircraft on order, holding 40% of the world's 503 total 777X orders. It's also the largest customer of the classic Boeing 777.

"I fail to see how Boeing can make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates," he told Business Insider in October. "We will be having a serious conversation with them over the next couple of months."

Emirates' A350 was also delayed on time

Emirates expected to receive its first A350 in August after being delayed from 2023 and launch nine routes by the end of 2024. Those routes will now begin next year.

"We're a frustrated entity because we need airplanes, and we need them now," he said in November, according to Bloomberg.

The plane's inaugural flight was pushed four times from September and is now scheduled from Dubai to Edinburgh, Scotland, on January 3.

In addition to its first set of A350s, Emirates expects to receive a longer-ranged variant next summer. But instead of being the modified ultra-long-range A350-900ULR flown by Singapore Airlines, FlightGlobal reported it will sport fewer seats to travel up to 16 hours.

What to expect onboard Emirates' A350-900

Emirates A350-900 will sport 312 seats across three cabins: 32 in business, 21 in premium economy, and 259 in regular coach.

The longer-ranged variant will have 298 passenger seats instead of 312 across the same three cabins.

Business class resembles the seats on Emirates' Airbus A380 superjumbos and its newly refurbished 777, complete with a minibar and "improved" storage. The 1×2×1 configuration means every passenger will have direct aisle access.

The high-dollar cabin won't have the on-board bar or fancy showers present on Emirates mammoth A380s.

The A350 business cabin also won't have the flyer-favorite doors that other airlines have been actively adding to their long-haul planes, though Emirates said the seats are still "very private."

Emirates maintained its premium economy cabin for the A350 after installing the business-economy hybrid cabin on many of its A380 and 777s. Each seat in the 2×3×2 cabin includes a deep recline, leg and footrests, and 13.3-inch televisions.

The economy cabin has been redesigned with a new six-way adjustable headrest to increase passenger comfort.

It has a 3×3×3 layout and will sport electric window blinds, which are also present in business and premium economy.

Otherwise, flyers can expect the regular coach Emirates experience. This includes a wood-like tray table, a seatback pouch with extra pockets, generous legroom of up to 32 inches, hot meals, power ports, and an inflight screen.

• An Air France passenger is suing the airline for over $100,000, saying he was injured on a flight.
• Sofiane Licir said he sustained "serious" injuries when his business-class seat broke during takeoff.
• The suit says he was "propelled into the confines of his seating area" when pilots aborted takeoff.

An Air France passenger is suing the airline, saying he was injured when his business-class seat broke during takeoff.

Sofiane Licir's attorneys filed the suit, which Business Insider has seen, on November 20 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

The Texas resident is seeking over $100,000 in damages from the complaint.

It says that Licir was flying from Paris to Houston in December 2022. when he "sustained serious and permanent injuries." Exact injuries are not detailed in the lawsuit.

The Airbus A350 was apparently close to reaching takeoff speed when the pilots decided to abort their takeoff attempt, the suit says.

It adds that Licir's business-class seat then broke from the railings it was fastened to — causing him to be "propelled into the confines of his seating area."

The suit says that the Air France-KLM group's maintenance service failed to prevent the seat's mechanical failure.

Licir's attorneys are asking for damages under the Montreal Convention, an international treaty that stipulates airlines are liable for passenger injuries on board an aircraft unless they can prove the passenger was negligent.

The suit adds that the requested damages would exceed the Montreal Convention's minimum of $128,213.

Air France did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

Seat issues on airlines are not unheard of, with frequent flights and fast turnarounds on planes sometimes meaning issues cannot be immediately resolved.

In May, a British Airways passenger said he endured a seven-hour flight with no headrest and an exposed bolt.

And last year, an Emirates passenger sued the airline saying his business-class seat was "absolutely disgusting" and didn't recline.

• Airlines are increasingly using Airbus A321neo family planes for transatlantic flights.
• These single-aisle aircraft offer efficient long-haul economics for routes to Europe.
• JetBlue, La Compagnie, and Iberia offer lie-flat business class on these narrow-body planes.

More airlines are flying single-aisle Airbus A321neo family planes across the Atlantic.

The aircraft are a popular choice because of their favorable long-haul economics. They can efficiently fly routes that may not have the demand to fill a widebody and still be profitable for airlines.

Because the planes can cross oceans — with the longest-range variant, the A321XLR, flying up to 11 hours nonstop — many airlines have equipped them with lie-flat business class to optimize comfort (and revenue).

I've seen three examples of these transatlantic premium Airbus cabins: JetBlue Airways, French boutique airline La Compagnie, and Spanish flag carrier Iberia.

Iberia is nice, but it and La Compagnie lack a flyer-favorite perk, while JetBlue offers the most amenity-heavy business experience.

All three have lie-flat seats, but prices vary.

La Compagnie is a small, all-business-class airline that serves Paris, Nice, and Milan from the US with A321neoLRs. It offers many cost-friendly fares, with roundtrip tickets starting at $2,500,

Iberia's new A321XLR will cost customers up to $5,000 or more roundtrip, depending on the season.

JetBlue's A321neoLR offers some discounted Mint fares to London, but other destinations are typically at least $3,000-$4,000.

Only JetBlue offers privacy doors.

La Compagnie and Iberia don't sport the sliding door that is standard at every JetBlue Mint seat. The privacy perk is increasingly popular on wide-body premium seats.

The French carrier's 2×2 layout would make one impossible to fit, while Iberia carefully designed its 1×1 cabin to be private without one. It has angled seats, high walls, and large wings.

Forget about privacy on La Compagnie.

La Compagnie has the most awkward layout of the three. The 2×2 layout optimizes the space, but it means flyers could be sleeping right next to a stranger on a full flight — and the window seat can't freely access the aisle.

There is a small divider between seats, but it doesn't do much to block travelers from one another. The airline is largely meant for families and couples, so you may not have an unknown neighbor.

Iberia lacks extra-space seats at the front.

Two of JetBlue's 24-person Mint business class seats are designated as the extra-large "Studio" with a companion seat to dine or meet with another traveler.

La Compagnie offers more legroom in its exit rows and bulkhead. This provides more ease for the window passenger if climbing over an aisle seatmate.

Iberia's smaller 14-person business class does not have any extra-large seats available.

Iberia has a Bluetooth television.

Iberia's 18.5-inch television has Bluetooth built-in, allowing travelers to connect their own wireless headphones to the screen.

JetBlue provided customers on its inaugural flight from New York to Paris in June with a free AirFly Pro Bluetooth audio transmitter, but it doesn't come as the standard — future travelers need to bring their own.

La Compagnie's 15.6-inch screen also didn't have Bluetooth. All three did have a remote, with JetBlue's Studio having the largest screen at 22 inches. Its regular suites boast a 17-inch television.

Storage on La Compagnie is minimal.

La Compagnie had barely any storage space aside from the overhead bin that was big enough to fit bigger items, like a laptop or a small backpack.

Iberia's storage under the television and behind the screen provides more ample storage, as does JetBlue's design. And both have more tabletop space — something La Compagnie customers have the share.

JetBlue has a 'do not disturb' sign.

JetBlue's "do not disturb" sign tells flight attendants not to wake up passengers, even during a meal service.

It's likely a welcome perk for overnight flights. Iberia and La Compagnie don't have the same feature.

All three offer the usual business-class perks.

All three airlines offer the same standard business-class perks, including an amenity kit, hot meals, a tray table, linens, WiFi, and power.

For power, the airlines each have a USB-A port and a universal outlet. JetBlue and Iberia both also offer a USB-C port, and the former includes a wireless charging pad that the other two don't.

JetBlue does not yet have a dedicated lounge.

Iberia has its own branded business-class lounges in Madrid. In the US, flyers can use Oneworld partner lounges. La Compagnie offers their travelers lounge access via partnerships.

JetBlue, however, does not have a dedicated lounge. However, JetBlue plans to build airport lounges to expand its premium offerings.

For now, flyers can access airport lounges via a credit card, like American Express or Chase.

JetBlue is my preferred pick.

Despite JetBlue's lack of a lounge, the cabin seat is the most amenity-heavy with its door and do-not-disturb sign. Plus, its Studio offers more choice.

Iberia is a close second with good privacy and comfort, but I'd personally prefer JetBlue when flying transatlantic for price and amenities.

La Compagnie is awkward but worth splurging on.

La Compagnie has the most awkward design, but there isn't a logical other way to configure its planes because it needs to optimize space.

Still, the prices are among the cheapest ways to cross the Atlantic in business class. I think it's a good option for leisure travelers willing to splurge but don't want to pay for more expensive airlines.

JetBlue has more routes to Europe.

JetBlue offers the most A321neoLR routes across the Atlantic with service to London, Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin, and Edinburgh, Scotland, from New York or Boston.

Iberia flies the A321XLR to Boston and, soon, to Washington Dulles. JetBlue plans to eventually receive the A321XLR, which could open new European routes, such as Italy and Spain.

La Compagnie indirectly competes with JetBlue in Paris. Instead of flying from New York-JFK to Charles de Gaulle like JetBlue, it flies from nearby Newark to Paris-Orly.

The A321XLR will add narrow-body routes to Europe with lie-flat beds.

There are a few other narrow-body, lie-flat business classes that I haven't yet seen, like Aer Lingus 'A321neoLR. Starting in 2025, the airline will also fly bed-equipped A321XLRs on routes like Nashville to Dublin.

American and United are among the other carriers planning A321XLR flights with beds in business class — with United replacing its lie-flat Boeing 757s with the A321XLR in 2026 and adding new routes.

• Iberia launched the first long-haul Airbus A321XLR flight from Madrid to Boston on November 14.
• It's the world's first example of lie-flat business class on the highly anticipated new jet.
• The seats don't have a door or an extra-large front row, but I don't think either is necessary.

Spanish flag carrier Iberia launched the first long-haul Airbus A321XLR flight on November 14, flying seven hours from Madrid to Boston.

The new Airbus narrow-body looks like its A321neoLR predecessor but can fly about 800 miles further thanks to an extra fuel tank in the belly, extending the aircraft's range 11 hours nonstop.

This plane is poised to open new routes for airlines they couldn't previously reach — or couldn't profitably fly with a wide-body.

Because the A321XLR will likely fly long-haul, many airlines plan to fit them with lie-flat business class to optimize comfort and choice.

Business Insider toured Iberia's A321XLR in Boston after its inaugural flight to see the industry's first example of these new premium narrow-body cabins.

It almost mirrors JetBlue Airways' Mint business class, minus two key features some passengers may miss — but I don't think Iberia needs either of them.

Iberia's A321XLR has 14 business-class seats.

The Thompson Aero Vantage Solo seats are configured in a 1×1 layout, meaning all passengers have direct aisle access. Flyers will get the standard business-class perks, like priority boarding and hot meals.

The section takes up about one-third of the cabin, while the rest of the plane hosts 168 economy seats in a 3×3 layout. There is no premium economy.

Each seat is equipped with a lie-flat bed.

The lie-flat beds are likely a welcome feature for flyers during the seven-hour trek between the US and Spain. Iberia provides plush linens for sleeping.

I thought the beds were long enough for my five-foot, three-inch tall self, but they were too narrow to comfortably sleep on my stomach. Customers should have enough room to sleep on their side or back.

The Bluetooth-enabled television is 18.5 inches.

Few airlines offer Bluetooth-capable televisions so I was excited to see the option on Iberia — which also extends to the economy cabin.

I would prefer to connect my AirPods, but customers without Bluetooth headphones can use the headset provided by Iberia.

There is surprisingly plentiful storage space.

With minimal cabin real estate for business class, Iberia got creative with storage. Beyond the tabletop space and overhead bins, flyers have nooks beside the seat and below the television.

A larger backpack likely won't fit, but chargers, books, electronics, and other small items needed during the flight can be at arm's length.

There are no privacy doors as many airlines have added in recent years.

JetBlue Airways has the same business-class seat on its Airbus A321neoLR, but it comes complete with sliding doors — something that has become a flyer-favorite perk in modern business-class cabins.

Iberia has not equipped its A321XLR with doors, instead relying on the seat's angle and high wings for privacy. I think the design easily does the job, and the swing-out television helps further cacoon passengers.

A fully private space is preferred among many travelers, but I think adding a door would take up unnecessary space and add costly weight that Iberia likely didn't want to take on.

There is no extra-large front row, either.

Another popular trend among new business-class cabins is larger front-row seats, which typically have extra space for a bigger bed or a companion seat but come at an extra fee.

JetBlue, for example, has its "Studio," while Virgin Atlantic Airways has the "Retreat Suite." Iberia's entire A321XLR business cabin is equipped with standard seats, which was likely the best way to optimize the cabin.

Designating an extra-large front row would also likely decrease the number of Iberia's regular high-dollar seats available to sell.

Business class won't have to fight for a lavatory.

The A321XLR is a smaller long-haul plane, so its likely more passengers will be visiting the lavatory during the flight.

The front of the cabin has one lavatory for up to 14 people, which will be fine so long as the flight attendants keep it clean and stocked.

Business class passengers will likely be happy to have their own bathroom as the 168 economy flyers have to share the three at the back — and there's very little room to queue.

American and United are planning A321XLRs with lie-flat business class.

Airlines like JetBlue and Ireland's Aer Lingus have flown narrow-body planes with lie-flat business class for years, and American has a lie-flat cabin on its transcontinental fleet.

American is bringing that strategy to its future A321XLR with a new and improved business class — and this time with sliding doors and direct-aisle access for all travelers.

United is also planning a lie-flat cabin, though details are limited.

Not every airline plans to have an A321XLR premium cabin.

The A321XLR is a versatile plane that can fit into both mainline and low-cost fleets — meaning some examples of the jet will not have business class.

Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air recently announced a seven-hour A321XLR flight between London and Saudi Arabia. The flight will be all-economy with minimal legroom and no fancy amenities.

Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said in September that the no-frills cabin will keep prices cheap, but customers will "have to create the fun for yourself."

• Delta Air Lines is focusing on premium cabins to boost revenue and outpace economy sales.
• The premium demand is driven by millennials willing to spend more for an elevated experience.
• Delta's president suggested budget carrier Spirit failed because it was too focused on low fares.

Delta Air Lines believes a premium-focused strategy is the secret sauce to success, as outlined during its Investor Day in Atlanta on Wednesday.

President Glen Hauenstein said that premium demand is soaring thanks to millennials willing to pay more for an elevated experience. As such, premium seats — currently about 30% of Delta's inventory — will be a majority focus of any added capacity next year.

By 2027, the airline expects to make more money from premium seats than those in economy.

Hauenstein said focusing on the premium market will help Delta win against budget carriers that depend on low fares to lure in customers.

"I think [post-pandemic demand] had a very different impact on the carriers that were supplying premium products and services, which had a little bit of a downdraft, versus those who were just focused on price that had an incredible cliff to fall off of," he said. "I think we've seen that manifest itself in the bankruptcy we saw filed this week."

Hauenstein is referring to Spirit Airlines' filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday. The low-cost airline has not posted a full-year profit since 2019 and has been forced to lay off staff and sell $500 million worth of planes to stay afloat.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a June podcast that passengers prefer experience over low fares and that budget airlines may go out of business without making quality changes.

Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman gave Business Insider a similar take in November, saying low-cost carriers should stop nickel-and-diming their customers.

Spirit and Frontier have bent to modern flyer expectations. Both overhauled their business models this year to offer more premium perks, such as extra legroom and business-class-like seats. They've also dropped most change and cancel fees.

Delta's presentation on Wednesday set the tone for the coming months, as airlines continue to struggle with high costs driven largely by inflation and labor, which have weighed on profit margins.

While the investments may take years to show full potential, at least in the near term, Delta CEO Ed Bastian has welcomed president-elect Donald Trump as a "breath of fresh air" as opposed to what he described as government "overreach" under the Biden Administration.

Delta's stock price was down about 2% after Wednesday's Investor Day and is up about 57% year-to-date.

Delta is doubling down on premium seats

Delta's premium cabins, including premium-economy upgrades, Delta One business class, and domestic first class, have long been profit drivers. So far, adding more of the expensive seats has been a boon to its bottom line, and it's showing no signs of letting up.

Delta said its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft will be introduced with about 50% premium seats, for example, while the airline plans to add lie-flat business class to A321neo jets.

This all comes after Delta had higher-than-expected earnings in the third quarter, largely anchored by premium seats, even though it was dinged by a costly CrowdStrike outage.

From July through September, Delta generated $5.3 billion in premium revenue compared to $6.3 billion for the economy cabin despite premium taking up less cabin real estate.

Hauenstein said Delta's biggest opportunity to add premium products and services is in the international market, where he said there is short supply but high demand.

He said that increase would come from retiring Boeing 767s, adding new A350-1000s, and reconfiguring existing A350-900s with more Delta One seats.

While executives didn't further discuss the previously hinted-at "business-class-lite" product that would unbundle business class, letting flyers buy only the seat but not other perks like lounge access, Hauenstein said there's revenue opportunity in segmenting premium economy and domestic first.

"That's where a huge revenue base is, and segmentation of that revenue base would potentially drive a significant improvement to the bottom line," he said.