• Ireland's Aer Lingus is the second airline to receive the new Airbus A321XLR.
• The plane opens new long-haul opportunities, including Dublin to Indianapolis and Nashville.
• Other airlines, including Iberia, United, Qantas, and American are also planning new routes.

The Airbus A321XLR is the European planemaker's latest narrow-body jet, and it's already changing how people fly long-haul.

On Thursday, Ireland's Aer Lingus became the second airline to receive the A321XLR, with Airbus delivering two of the carrier's six that are on order.

Spanish flag carrier Iberia became the plane's first operator in November.

The jet's extra-long-haul capabilities mean Aer Lingus can now operate flights deeper into the US. Two new routes are already scheduled: Flights between Dublin and Nashville will begin in April, and flights between Dublin and Indianapolis will launch in May.

Iberia and Aer Lingus are just the beginning for Airbus's new plane, which has tallied up more than 550 global orders.

American Airlines, Australian flag carrier Qantas, and Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air all expect to receive the jet next year, followed by United Airlines in early 2026.

And all are expected to launch never-before-flown narrow-body routes across oceans and continents.

Airbus' new A321XLR jet is set to open new route options

The A321XLR is uniquely equipped for long-haul flying, thanks to an extra rear center fuel tank that helps the narrow-body aircraft fly up to 5,400 miles, or 11 hours, nonstop.

That's about 800 miles farther than its Airbus A321LR predecessor. That opens new routes to places previously unreachable with older narrowbodies — or that were unprofitable with a widebody.

Iberia plans to begin a new service using the A321XLR between Madrid and Washington Dulles on January 15. Wizz Air also plans to launch A321XLR routes between London and Saudi Arabia and Milan and Abu Dhabi in 2025.

In March, American Airlines' managing director of global network planning, Jason Reisinger, said the A321XLR was desirable because it would let the airline serve "routes that cannot support a 787 but where we still have a nice onboard product."

American has since said it plans to launch the A321XLRs on transcontinental routes now served by its A321T.

And the airline's senior vice president of network planning, Brian Znotins, told The Points Guy in November that it plans to also fly its A321XLR fleet to Europe and possibly South America.

Qantas plans to use the A321XLR to fly farther into Asia and the Pacific.

United Airlines previously told Business Insider that the A321XLR would replace its aging Boeing 757s and open new routes to places like Northern Italy and West Africa.

Icelandair is also using the A321XLR to replace the 757 and fly farther into North America and Europe from 2029. Boeing never built another version of the popular narrow-body, which ceased production in 2004.

The A321XLR will have varying cabin experiences

Customers can expect varying cabin experiences on board these new versatile single-aisle planes.

Iberia offers lie-flat business class on its A321XLRs, which is typical of what customers find on long-haul widebody flights.

Aer Lingus will also have lie-flat business class seats similar to what it already flies on its A321LRs, but some rows won't have direct aisle access.

American plans to install its new Flagship suites on its A321XLRs, while United is also planning a lie-flat business cabin. Qantas will have large reclining loungers in business class.

Wizz will have the least posh cabin. Its no-frills A321XLRs will have cramped seats, no in-flight entertainment, and no freebies like snacks and water.

Its CEO said the experience is something passengers will have to "suffer" through for seven hours for the cheap ticket.

• 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.

• Icelandair received its first Airbus A321neoLR in December to begin replacing its aging Boeing 757s.
• The airline's CEO said the move was not due to ongoing issues at Boeing.
• Icelandair also flies the Boeing 737 Max and plans to get the A321XLR in 2029 to open new routes.

Icelandair has received its first-ever Airbus aircraft, breaking from its all-Boeing fleet for the first time in its nearly 90-year history.

The new A321neoLR planes, which can travel up to nine hours nonstop, were delivered in Reykjavik on December 3. By 2027, the 7 new planes will replace Icelandair's aging fleet of Boeing 757s.

Icelandair CEO Bogi Nils Bogason told Business Insider that the A321LR is the "best replacement" for the inefficient 757s as it is 30% more fuel efficient per seat with a similar capacity.

He also said the Airbus order has nothing to do with Boeing's ongoing production issues.

"We ran a campaign between Boeing and Airbus in 2022 and finalized that in early 2023 with Airbus," he said, meaning the deal was signed before the Alaska Airlines 737 Max blowout in January.

The 757 has been the backbone of Icelandair's operation since 1990, connecting Iceland to North America and mainland Europe. Its smaller size makes it cheaper to fly compared to widebody planes while still providing sufficient capacity to be profitable.

But Boeing never built a replacement for the 757, which was discontinued in 2004. This gave Airbus an opportunity to seize the transatlantic narrow-body market with its long-range A321neo family.

Plenty of other Boeing planes will remain in Icelandair's fleet. It currently flies 21 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, which it ordered in 2012 before the A321LR or A321XLR were available.

Cirium data shows nearly 22,000 Max flights scheduled for 2024 across cities in Europe and the US. At least 23,000 Max flights are scheduled for 2025, including new routes to Nashville and Istanbul.

"We are operating, on our scale, a very big Boeing fleet into the future, so Boeing continues to be a very important partner of Icelandair," Bogason said.

Icelandair also flies a small fleet of Boeing 767s on routes where it can carry a lot of cargo alongside passengers. Bogason said these will continue to fly for the "near future."

Icelandair's A321LR will fly up to eight hours nonstop

Icelandair's first passenger A321LR flight took off Tuesday, flying from Reykjavik to Stockholm, with later flights scheduled to Copenhagen.

Cirium data shows that the A321LR will expand to 15 more European cities through 2025, like Rome, Helsinki, Munich, and Zurich. In North America, the jet will fly up to eight hours nonstop to cities including Seattle, Toronto, and Portland, Oregon.

None of these are new Icelandair routes and are already served with Boeing jets, but the A321LR will slowly phase out the 757 or fly alongside the Max to these cities, per Cirium.

Icelandair's A321LR plane has 187 seats in two cabins: 165 in economy and 22 in "Saga Premium."

Saga resembles premium economy, featuring large reclining seats with privacy wings, a legrest and footrest, and a 16-inch television screen. The 2×2 cabin does not have lie-flat seats as seen on the A321LR planes flown by JetBlue Airways or Ireland's Aer Lingus long-haul.

Bogason said this is due to most of its flights being shorter because they stop in Iceland rather than fully crossing the Atlantic.

He acknowledged that flights to cities like Seattle could take eight hours, but equipping and operating planes with different premium cabins would be too complicated and costly.

"We use the same planes in North America and Europe, but many of the European flights are short, so lie flat would not be in a very high demand there," Bogason said. "There is definitely revenue potential, but we believe we have the right product for our business model and for the locations that that we are in."

Bogason added that the shorter flight times may negate the need for lie-flat business class, but it helps Icelandair earn business from competitor airlines. This is thanks to its stopover program, which allows travelers to stay in Iceland for a few days before connecting beyond Reykjavik.

Bogason said this helps convince travelers to choose one-stop Icelandair over the nonstop transatlantic options.

The A321XLR will complement Icelandair's A321LR fleet

Icelandair also has 13 A321XLRs on order — an even longer-ranged Airbus narrowbody variant — that will also act as replacements, but the first is not expected to be delivered until 2029.

Bogason said the A321XLR will allow Icelandair to fly even further and open new routes.

"We could fly the new narrowbody into California, into Texas, and into the East from Iceland," he said. "This creates a lot of opportunities for the development of our network and our business model."

More than a dozen global airlines, including American Airlines, Spanish flag carrier Iberia, Hungary's Wizz Air, and United Airlines, have placed more than 550 orders for the new A321XLR.

Similar to Icelandair, United is planning to use the extra-long-haul jet as a replacement for a 757 and launch new nonstop flights to destinations like West Africa and Northern Italy.

Thanks to its extra fuel tank, the A321XLR can fly 800 miles further than the A321LR and open new routes previously unreachable with narrowbodies or unprofitable with widebodies.

Bogason did not reveal any details about Icelandair's expected A321XLR cabin, but the jet is versatile. American and United, for example, are equipping the plane with lie-flat business class.

Budget carrier Wizz Air will only offer a no-frills economy cabin on its A321XLRs, which its CEO says passengers will just have to "suffer" through for a cheap long-haul ticket.

• Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg has a message for his staff: Stop fighting and get to work.
• Ortberg urged employees to "focus on the task at hand" instead of squabbling.
• The CEO also spoke with President-elect Donald Trump about the impact of his potential tariffs.

Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg has a stern warning for his staff — stop squabbling and get to work.

The Wall Street Journal obtained and verified a recording of Ortberg's remarks at Boeing's hourlong town hall meeting on Wednesday.

"We spend more time arguing amongst ourselves than thinking about how we're going to beat Airbus," he said at the all-hands meeting, The WSJ reported.

"Everybody is tired of the drumbeat of what's wrong with Boeing. I'm tired of it and I haven't been here that long," Ortberg added.

During the meeting, Ortberg also told staff not to "sit at the water cooler and bitch about people," per The WSJ's transcription of the recording.

"Let's focus on the task at hand," Ortberg said.

Representatives for Boeing did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular office hours.

Ortberg, who took over as chief of the beleaguered planemaker in August, has had to deal with many problems in his first months at the company, including a massive seven-week worker strike and multibillion-dollar losses.

The WSJ also reported that Ortberg has spoken with President-elect Donald Trump about the impact of potential tariffs on Boeing.

Trump has proposed broad tariffs on imports, including 60% tariffs on goods from China.

Ortberg told staff that a potential trade war with China might impact the company's plane exports to Chinese airlines.

Boeing has seen its stock price fall about 40% since the start of the year.

The all-hands meeting also came amid a raft of layoffs being rolled out at Boeing.

In October, Boeing said it would cut 10% of its 170,000-strong global workforce. The reduction plan will include 2,199 employees in Washington and another 50 in Oregon, according to the company's filings.

As part of the cuts, Boeing is laying off more than 400 workers who are part of its professional aerospace labor union. The Seattle Times reported on Friday that 438 members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) received pink slips.

In a note to employees on October 11, Ortberg said Boeing was in a "difficult position" and that "restoring our company requires tough decisions."

But there are some bright spots: the company has resumed production of its 737 Max airplanes, and secured its first order since the strike. Aviation company Avia Solutions Group announced on November 12 that it had placed an order for 80 Boeing 737 Max planes.

In the company's third-quarterly statement on October 23, Ortberg vowed to make the company "iconic" again.

"It will take time to return Boeing to its former legacy, but with the right focus and culture, we can be an iconic company and aerospace leader once again," he said.

Representatives for Trump did not respond to BI's request for comment.