One of the largest carriers in the world, American Airlines will upgrade services on Los Angeles to Philadelphia and Miami this winter on select days.

American Airlines A321
American Airlines will upgrade transcontinental services to Miami and Philadelphia from Los Angeles. Photo: Airbus

American transcontinental service to Philadelphia

From their hub in Philadelphia, American Airlines will deploy thrice-weekly Boeing 787 services between January 7th and February 12th of 2020. The flight will leave Philadelphia at 20:50 Philadelphia time and land in Los Angeles at 23:59 local time on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

Then, departing Los Angeles on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, the 787 will leave at 7:45 local time and arrive in Philadelphia at 15:36 local. This scheduling data is per Routesonline.

American Airlines 787
American Airlines is moving away from Tokyo-Narita in favor of Haneda which has a better location in Tokyo. Photo: Simple Flying

American's 787-8

Onboard this transcontinental route, American Airlines will offer upgraded services to Los Angeles. Thankfully, passengers in all cabin classes will have access to a seatback screen. Meanwhile, passengers in domestic first class will get a lie-flat seat. 

American 787 Business/First
First Class passengers will get to stretch out on a lie-flat seat. Photo: American Airlines

Overall, his is a huge upgrade for premium passengers compared to American's traditional recliner-style First Class seating.

American Recliner First
Premium passengers are part of American's target market out of Austin. Photo: American Airlines

In economy, passengers will benefit from added overhead storage space. The added benefit of individual seatback screens should also make the flight more pleasant. And, the 3-3-3 configuration is not too different than the Airbus A321s that also fly this route. Make sure to check your seat map, however, as Premium Economy is being sold as Main Cabin Extra on some of these flights.

American Airlines Transcontinental 787 Economy
The new aircraft has passengers in a 3-3-3 configuration. Photo American Airlines

American transcontinental service to Miami

Per Routesonline, the A321T will operate two nonstop services per day from December 18th through January 6th under the following schedule departing Los Angeles:

  • AA1319 will depart Los Angeles at 9:15 local time and arrive in Miami at 17:15 local time
  • AA2091 will depart Los Angeles at 14:05 local time and arrive in Miami at 22:00 local time

Meanwhile, here is the schedule for flights departing Miami:

  • AA914 will depart Miami at 10:12 local time with arrival in Los Angeles scheduled for 13:02
  • AA1508 will depart Miami at 20:00PM local time and land in Los Angeles at 22:59 local time

This schedule will help facilitate connections at both ends– especially as American seeks to fill their own aircraft to South America.

The A321T

American Airlines will fly a specially configured Airbus A321 on transcontinental services between Los Angeles and Miami. The A321T is one of American's premium-heavy aircraft that have 10 Flagship First seats in a lie-flat 1-1 configuration. Thus, every passenger has direct-aisle access similar to traditional reverse herringbone style seats.

American Airlines Transcontinental A321 Lieflat
First Class is in a 1-1 configuration with lie-flat seats. Photo: American Airlines

American Airlines will also offer premium Flagship First lounge access. This includes an enhanced sit-down meal service on the ground amid other features such as priority check-in and expedited security services.

AA dining services
American will offer enhanced lounge access to Flagship First customers on their A321T aircraft. Photo: American Airlines

The A321T also has 20 business class seats outfitted in a 2-2 configuration. Compared to Flagship First, not all business class passengers receive direct aisle access as the cabin is arranged in a 2-2 configuration. However, passengers still have lie-flat seats.

American Transcontinental A321 Los Angeles
Business class on an A321T consists of lie-flat seating in a 2-2 configuration. Photo: American Airlines

Lastly, there are 72 economy class seats split equally between Main Cabin Extra and Main Cabin seating. In addition, passengers will have access to seatback screens. However, Main Cabin Extra has 35" of pitch while Main Cabin seats have 31" of pitch.

American economy class
Photo: American Airlines

Will you fly on any of American's upgraded transcontinental services to or from Los Angeles? Let us know in the comments!

Routesonline was the source for scheduling data outlined in this article and as linked above.