Fly to Porto, Portugal, on American Airlines’ Brand-New Airbus A321XLR Next Summer

Updated: February 5, 2026, 3:18pm CST

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American’s Airbus A321XLRs Will Fly to Porto in Summer 2027
What Will It Be Like Flying AA’s Airbus A321XLR Across the Atlantic?
Final Thoughts

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American Airlines has announced Porto, Portugal (OPO) as its first new international destination for next summer. But it gets better — the route will be operated by AA’s fleet of new Airbus A321XLRs, which debuted in December 2025.

“Porto is exactly the type of new market the Airbus A321XLR enables us to serve,” said Brian Znotins, SVP of network and schedule planning at America.

Here are the details of AA’s latest international route operated by the Airbus A321XLR.

American’s Airbus A321XLRs Will Fly to Porto in Summer 2027

Starting summer 2027, Portugal’s second city, Porto, will become the newest seasonal destination for American Airlines. The carrier has chosen to serve Porto nonstop from its Philadelphia (PHL) hub, while its competitors Delta and United serve the city nonstop from their hubs in New York (JFK) and Newark (EWR), respectively.

As 2027 is still quite a way away, American has yet to reveal specific details about the route (which remains subject to regulatory approvals), such as its start date and frequency.

Porto is only the second transatlantic destination announced for American’s A321XLRs. The inaugural transatlantic A321XLR flight between New York and Edinburgh (EDI) will take place on March 8, 2026.

The A321XLR’s smaller capacity and longer range mean American can reach more second-tier European destinations. As the airline receives more of the 50 jets it has on order, we can expect more transatlantic destinations to appear on its route map.

What Will It Be Like Flying AA’s Airbus A321XLR Across the Atlantic?

Narrow-body planes like the Airbus A321XLR have been flying passengers across the Atlantic for years. However, this is American’s first foray into transatlantic flying with this new aircraft, and the layout it chose for the jet has sparked some controversy.

The plane has a total of 155 seats: 135 in economy (123 Main Cabin and 12 Main Cabin Extra seats), 12 in premium economy, and 20 brand-new Flagship Suites in business class.

AA A321XLR Flagship Cabin — “With the walls of the suites, it’s a bit harder to move around,” said Upgraded Points’ James Larounis. Image Credit: James Larounis

The herringbone layout of the seats, combined with the closing doors on each suite, has led to a tight squeeze — and scrutiny from many frequent flyers. Upgraded Points was on the inaugural flight in December, and our staffer found that the sliding doors couldn’t yet be used, the seats themselves felt narrow, and the inflight entertainment screens had to be stowed during service.

That said, it’s still an exciting aircraft for the airline that should open up several new markets, and there’s time to work out some of the kinks in the inflight service.

Hot Tip:

Want to try Flagship Business on American’s new Airbus A321XLRs for yourself? Check out our guide on the best ways to book with points.

Final Thoughts

American is using its new Airbus A321XLRs to reach new and exciting destinations in Europe. Porto, Portugal, has joined Edinburgh on the list of international destinations to be served by this new aircraft. We’re looking forward to seeing where American will send the aircraft next!