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First A321XLR Arrives in US for FAA Trials
Airbus has delivered the first A321XLR test aircraft to the US to begin FAA certification trials.
The A321XLR test airplane, registered F-WXLR, landed at Miami International Airport on September 20, 2025 after a transatlantic ferry from Toulouse, France. Airbus handed the jet over with American Airlines and JetBlue executives on site as the aircraft prepared for a US-based test campaign.
Over the coming weeks the type will fly extended-range and operational checks in US airspace as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process. Airbus is targeting FAA type certification by Q1 2026, with initial deliveries to North American carriers expected later that year.
Why the A321XLR matters
The A321XLR (Extra Long Range) is built to cover about 4,700 nm (nautical miles), giving narrowbody operators the ability to open thin long‑haul and transatlantic routes without widebodies. That range and single-aisle economics are the core selling points for US airlines eyeing new nonstop markets.
- Quick facts: A321XLR — registration F-WXLR landed in Miami on September 20, 2025 for FAA trials; range ~4,700 nm; handover witnessed by American Airlines and JetBlue representatives.
Tests in the US will validate extended-range performance, systems integration and operational procedures under FAA oversight. Successful certification would allow Airbus to proceed with customer deliveries to US operators later in 2026, shifting how some carriers plan transatlantic and thin long‑haul schedules.
For travelers, the A321XLR could mean more nonstop options from secondary airports and longer nonstop routes from US cities that today rely on connections or widebody equipment. For airlines, it promises improved seat-mile economics on routes that previously weren’t commercially viable.
