American Airlines Domestic First Class on the A321 from New York to Miami
by Krish Patel
It’s been almost six years since American began retrofitting its A321s with the standard American Airlines interiors. Currently, American is the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A320-family, which includes the A321. American Airlines flies its A321s on several short and medium haul domestic routes, making it an aircraft that’s likely to end up onboard if you’re traveling within the U.S. Continue reading to find out what it’s actually like to fly First Class on American from LaGuardia to Miami.
American Airlines First Class Check-in and Boarding
American’s hub in New York’s LaGuardia Airport is based in Terminal B. Check-in was smooth, with friendly ground staff and short lines at the priority queue, which is reserved for First Class passengers and status holders.
Thankfully, TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is available at LGA and makes clearing security a lot faster using facial scanners and verification technology. The Touchless ID lane saved me at least 10 minutes compared to the regular line. Best of all, it’s already free for those who have a TSA PreCheck membership. I also couldn’t help but notice the festive heart display for Valentine’s Day on the board showing the times it would take to clear security.
Within the U.S., a domestic First Class ticket will not include complimentary lounge access. I had plenty of time though and was able to access the Admirals Club since I’d be connecting onto an international flight later in the day. Guests can also access the club on a domestic itinerary if they have OneWorld Sapphire or Emerald status or if they are a cardholder of the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
Almost eight minutes before boarding, I headed down to the gate area. For most domestic American flights, boarding usually begins 30 to 40 minutes before departure, depending on the type of aircraft.
First Class passengers are able to pre-board the aircraft before Group 1 is even called. This was a wonderful priority perk granted to First Class passengers, giving them more time to actually settle in.
American Airlines First Class Cabin and Seat
The American Airlines A321 has 20 First Class recliners arranged in a 2-2 configuration across five rows. Each seat offers 21 inches of width, 37 inches of pitch, and 5 inches of recline. The legroom in these seats is pretty decent, but not as great as what you’ll find on Delta’s A321neo or United’s 737 MAX 8.
The dark gray leather seats are very comfortable to sit in and have a simple appearance. AA’s limited use of colors and patterns across the First Class cabin creates a basic, minimalist vibe.
Found at the very back of the First Class section is a clean black divider, printed onto which is the American Airlines logo. It helps separate First Class from the Main Cabin portion of the aircraft.
This jet does not feature seatback entertainment screens. Instead, American has opted for seatback device holders that can easily hold a tablet or iPhone. Located next to the device holders are USB-A outlets, allowing you to charge your device while watching a movie or TV show.
I wish that American took the same path as Delta and United and offered seatback screens on domestic flights. Having an entertainment system is more convenient for passengers since it allows them to use the IFE during take-off and landing, rather than waiting to be in the air.
Found right below the device holder is a seatback pocket for storing small items. Backpacks and smaller carry-on items can be placed under the seat in front of you.
In between the two seats is a side table, which pops out for additional space. The center armrest also houses the metal seat recline button and an AC power outlet, which can be opened for easy access. Unfortunately, my outlet was broken and didn’t work for the entire flight.
From the other armrest, a bifold metal tray table pops out. It has a decent surface area and features a small device holder for your phone as well.
Lastly, a small cocktail tray pops out from the center console between the seats. It’s a convenient feature, allowing travelers to keep their drink away from their tablet or laptop.
First Class customers can use the lavatory located just behind the cockpit. The lavatory comes provided with D.S. & Durga liquid soap, which was a wonderful touch. It’s pretty spacious and was also kept clean throughout the flight.
American Airlines First Class Food & Drink
Pre-departure beverages weren’t offered before pushback on this flight. They’re not always a guarantee on every domestic flight, but could certainly enhance the flight experience.
In the air, the meal service began with warm nuts and a drink. I opted for a lime sparkling water.
A few days before departure, I received an email from American asking me to pre-order my lunch. I opted for the fruit and cheese plate, which was light and overall tasty. It included various assorted cheeses, grapes, dried apricots, and a strawberry Provided on the side was a sausage kebab and slice of key lime cheesecake for dessert. I didn’t eat the sausage, but the cheesecake was just alright. It tasted more like sweetened yogurt rather than an actual cheesecake.
American Airlines First Class Amenities
When it comes to flying First Class domestically in the United States, you should expect minimal amenities. This means no fancy bedding, amenity kits, or headphones.
What you will find on American Airlines is complimentary streaming entertainment and Wi-Fi. American’s A321s are equipped with free high-speed Wi-Fi for AAdvantage members.
The entertainment selection is pretty decent. It offers plenty of movies, live TV, shows, playlists, and games. The choice of movies includes both classics and new releases, giving passengers a variety of options.
Service in American Airlines First Class
The service on American Airlines is generally hit or miss. On today’s flight, I’m glad to report that it was of the former category.
The two flight attendants working in First Class were friendly, hardworking, and proactive. When my charger wasn’t working, the crew kindly offered to reset it, though it still wouldn’t work. Additionally, they also offered beverage refills to passengers during the meal service.
Booking Details & Mileage Redemptions for American Airlines First Class
Generally, a one-way First Class ticket on American from LGA to Miami starts at $299 and exceeds $930 during peak times.
Especially if prices are expensive during peak travel times, booking using points is highly optimal. American has several partners that are good for booking domestic First Class. Notably, you can book AA flights using Alaska & Hawaiian Atmos Rewards points, which is a great deal especially if there’s savor award availability. One-way First Class fares for this route will cost around 25,000 Atmos points plus $5.60, which is a better deal than the 25,000 to 40,000 miles AA will charge, though you should note that AAdvantage uses dynamic pricing, so mileage redemptions can greatly vary.
Overall Thoughts
American Airlines First Class is a decent way to fly premium within the country. The seat itself is quite comfortable, but lacks certain features such as a seatback screen and USB-C charger. It’s also worth mentioning that there aren’t many amenities offered in domestic First Class, since the primary offerings on most short and medium haul routes are just limited to streaming entertainment and Wi-Fi. However, a decent meal and the comfort of the seat made up for all of the cons. If you can find solid award availability through AAdvantage or a partner program such as Alaska Atmos Rewards, then First Class on AA is definitely worth it.