American Airlines Airbus A321T Flagship Business Review [JFK to SFO]

Airline: American Airlines
Aircraft: Airbus A321T
Flight #: AA2305
Route: New York (JFK) > San Francisco (SFO)
Date: February 26, 2022
Duration: 5hr 52mins
Cabin and Layout: American Airlines Flagship Business 20-seat capacity across 5 rows in a 2-2 configuration
Seat: 6A
Cash Cost: $568 one-way

While planning my first long-haul international trip since the start of the pandemic, I wanted to tick a few things off my travel and aviation wish list — one of those was a flight on American Airlines’ Flagship Business.

My trip started in New York after reviewing JetBlue from London to JFK, with SFO part of another travel wish-list item: a road trip down Highway 1 in California.

I could have flown between New York to San Francisco for far cheaper in economy with Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, or United.

However, being a British Airways Executive Club Silver member (Oneworld Sapphire) who was close to reaching Gold status (Oneworld Emerald) I was more determined than ever to find a good price to earn the 140 Tier Points that the American Airlines Flagship Business between JFK and San Francisco would earn me.

As American Airlines and British Airways are members of the Oneworld alliance, members of American’s AAdvantage and BA’s Executive Club get reciprocal elite benefits, such as priority check-in, earlier boarding, and lounge access.

Better still, as a British Airways frequent flyer, I earn Tier Points when flying American Airlines. These are valuable as the more Tier Points you earn, the more you progress through the status ranks and earn more exclusive benefits.

Booking American Airlines Flagship Business

Booking American Airlines Flagship Business was easy.

You can only fly American Airlines Flagship Business class on certain routes: 

• Los Angeles (LAX) to Boston (BOS) — A321T aircraft only
• Los Angeles (LAX) to JFK
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Miami (MIA) — A321T and wide-body only
• New York (JFK) to Orange Country (SNA) — A321T aircraft only
• New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO)

I paid $568 for the one-way fare. By no means is that cheap, but it’s not extortionate for a lie-flat bed for a nearly 6-hour flight.

It’s also a lot less than what this same fare can sometimes cost:

You’d be hard-pressed to find one-way to London from the East Coast (a flight that can take less time than my JFK-SFO flight) for anywhere close to $568.

I could, of course, have used Avios, but then I wouldn’t have earned the 140 Tier Points I needed to make sure I made Gold elite status with BA.

Bottom Line: Check out our guide for everything you need to know about American Airlines Flagship Business and Flagship First — 2 of the most luxurious ways to fly across the continent. 

So, that said, I went ahead and paid $568 for my one-way flight.

Flagship Business (and Flagship First) passengers are able to select their meal option in advance so as not to be disappointed on the day.

I always try to eat as healthy as possible when traveling, so I went for the grilled sea bass.

Checking in at New York (JFK)

There’s no mistaking which airline has its hub at JFK’s Terminal 8.

I arrived at JFK at 1:40 p.m. after a fun last evening in Williamsburg with friends  — well in advance of my scheduled 5 p.m. departure.

I followed the signs for check-in at the first entrance door I came to nearest the top of the ramp to the drop-off area.

I then filtered right in the direction of priority check-in alongside the cordoned-off construction area.

A staffer was on hand close to the entrance to help passengers should they need it.

I was definitely expecting the terminal to be busier.

I spotted the priority check-in area a little further down on the right.

As a Flagship Business ticket-holder, I was eligible to use American’s dedicated priority check-in. I would also have been eligible if I’d been flying economy thanks to my British Airways Silver status (Oneworld Sapphire).

Next door to priority check-in was the temporary Flagship First check-in area.

As nobody was in line, I had to wait less than a minute for a check-in agent to free up.

My bag was weighed and tagged and I was handed my boarding pass in no time.

I was shocked by the lack of line at security.

There was a slight hold up due to angry security staff taking no prisoners with people passing their items through the security scanner incorrectly.

JFK Airport

Even with a slight delay, I made it airside after less than 25 minutes of arriving at the terminal.

I loved the trip down American Airlines’ logo memory lane on the short walk across to the lounge.

New York JFK Flagship Lounge

The entrance to American Airlines’ Terminal 8 Flagship Lounge is directly opposite where you enter the departures area after clearing security.

I showed the lounge agent my boarding pass and proceeded left into the lounge.

I was greeted with an offer of a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne. I obliged; it was a Saturday afternoon, after all.

I intended to get some writing done for a couple of hours before my flight. Instead, I was approached by a keen frequent flyer who recognized me from articles I’d written. We sat and talked about all things mileage runs and status until it was almost time for me to board.

It was an absolute pleasure and it’s little moments like that when I appreciate my job more than ever.

He even asked a staff member if he could invite me into the Flagship First dining area but, as per the rules, it was a hard no.

The food options available in the lounge were plentiful. I was rather hungry and devoured about 4 or 5 of the winter citrus roasted chicken legs, as well as some vegetables.

The lounge was perfectly situated to watch my aircraft roll down the apron.

It parked downstairs at gate 12, right in front of where I was sitting.

As it happens, the lounge is a great spot for getting a glimpse of all kinds of American Airlines aircraft as the apron it looks out onto is pretty much exclusively used by American Airlines.

For everything you need to know about the Flagship Lounge at JFK, including entry requirements, check out my colleague Stephen’s full review.

Boarding at JFK

As I arrived at the gate later than I usually would, boarding had already started.

A little frustrated with myself for not being among the first on board to get empty cabin photos, I made my way to the line where boarding group 4 had just been called.

On Board American Airlines Airbus A321T

10 minutes after I joined the line to board I was sat in 6A with a welcome drink of yet another glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne.

A further 10 minutes went by while the rest of the passengers boarded and we pushed back from the gate at 4:55 p.m. — 5 minutes ahead of our scheduled departure time.

We took off in a northwesterly direction and then looped a full 360 degrees around passing south of JFK before heading northwest.

As such, we were spoiled with views of JFK from the port side of the aircraft.

Flagship Business Seat

I picked this plane for a reason, as it’s the only aircraft that operates American Airlines’ Flagship Business product on the route from JFK to SFO.

As the Airbus A321T is just a narrow body, there’s less space across the rows for seats. American decided to fit their domestic A321Ts with a 2-2 configuration in business class. Other airlines, such as JetBlue, opt for 1-1 configuration in business class on some of their narrow-body aircraft.

Not having direct aisle access from a business class seat on a flight of almost 6 hours can be bothersome — not for me as a window passenger, but for the man next to me who insisted on moving his feet off his footrest rather than letting me step over his legs as I told him I was more than happy to do.

Waiting for me at my seat was a blanket and pillow.

A bottle of water and a Shinola amenity kit were stashed in the storage area over my left shoulder.

I much prefer fabric seats like this rather than leather ones.

The storage area was also home to a universal power outlet, as well as a USB port and a headphone jack.

A wide shared console with a table area on top made for a sense of separation between myself and my neighbor. While we weren’t on top of each other, the seats have little-to-no privacy.

The tray table for my seat was stored within the console and was easy to pull out.

The table could be left folded in half for just setting down a drink.

It could be fully extended for eating or working with a laptop.

As for legroom, I had plenty. In fact, I could barely reach the footrest.

The best thing about this seat is that it reclines into a fully-flat bed. Not so essential for my late afternoon flight chasing the sunset, but definitely a bonus for those taking this flight in the opposite direction overnight.

When the seat was fully extended, I found storing my possessions a little fiddly as I had to cram everything into the storage way up high from where I was laid flat.

A second, thin storage area was underneath the IFE monitor directly in front of me.

This storage was only suitable for things like a laptop, a thin purse/wallet, the Bose headphones that come with the seat, and an empty water bottle that hadn’t been cleaned away from a previous passenger. I’ll accept no excuses for this either as this was the aircraft’s first flight of the day.

Flagship Business Cabin

The cabin with its 2-2 configuration looks a little cramped.

Once we were airborne and the lights were dimmed low, the feeling changed from cramped to cozy.

Food and Beverage

I couldn’t wait to peruse my first ever Flagship Business menu when it was handed to me before take-off.

Roasted beet and goat’s cheese timbale was the only option for the starter. This would be accompanied by a baby spinach and kale salad as well as “gourmet” bread.

For mains, I could have chosen from gorgonzola-crusted beef filet, braised chicken cacciatore, grilled sea bass, or porcini tortelloni.

And for something sweet to finish off, I had the choice of American’s traditional ice cream sundae, a classic lemon tart, or a gourmet cheese board.

I noticed that orders seemed to be taken from the back of the cabin first rather than the front as I’m used to. I wondered if this was because there were AAdvantage elite members with higher status than my British Airways Silver status.

First to arrive — around 30 minutes into the flight — was a(nother) glass of bubbles that I’d requested as my first drink along with a helping of warm nuts.

This was kept topped up until I didn’t fancy any more.

A tablecloth was then laid on my tray table.

My starter and salad arrived 30 minutes after my first drink.

James, the purser, asked if I’d like dressing with my salad or just plain, which was a nice touch as I prefer my salads to not be swimming in calories.

I’d completely forgotten I’d pre-ordered the sea bass, but was very happy that I did as it was a flavorsome, perfectly thick-cut piece of fish. I think I even said “wow” aloud after my first bite.

The accompanying veggies were equally well-cooked and tasty.

It was only when I’d finished eating that I realized the amount of grease and oil that was left in my dish.

As I wasn’t tempted by either of the sweet options, I settled for the not-so-gourmet cheese board. It should have been called a gourmet grape board given there were 8 grapes and only 3 small pieces of cheese.

Even though it’s an almost-6-hour flight, American doesn’t serve a second meal on this flight. Instead, Flagship Business passengers are offered classic warm cookies around 45 minutes before landing.

A snack basket was displayed in the forward galley should hunger strike between the meal service and end-of-flight cookie.

Soft drinks, beer, wine, spirits, and Piper-Heidsieck Champagne were on offer to drink.

As it was Saturday night, I stuck to the bubbles as my choice of sundowner.

Cleanliness

Other than the stray empty water bottle that had been leftover from a previous flight the day before, I didn’t notice discrepancies in the cleanliness of the aircraft during my flight.

Amenities

The most exciting amenity for me was the set of Bang & Olufsen headphones that actually canceled out all other noise.

I was told before take-off that headphones would be collected around 40 minutes before landing as they’re absolutely not to be taken off the aircraft with you.

Shortly after take-off, a flight attendant made a PA explaining that there were issues with the Wi-Fi and that they were going to try to fix it ASAP.

It wasn’t able to be fixed, so we were without connection for the duration of the almost-6-hour flight.

It was the weekend, anyway, and no Wi-Fi meant more time checking out the Thales 3D maps.

I tracked our progress across the continent.

But before the sun eventually went down, I passed my time taking in these incredible views over the U.S. and Canada.

The IFE system was stocked full enough of films and shows to keep me entertained during the flight. I imagine the reason I couldn’t get Apple TV+ to work was because of the kaput Wi-Fi.

I went for the easy-watching, laugh-a-minute “Trainwreck.” Navigating the IFE using the touchscreen was glitchy and sluggish so I resorted to the hand-held control.

It was located low down on my right.

I loved the plumpness of the Casper pillow that was offered in addition to the Casper blanket (not pictured).

The Shinola amenity kit came with the goodies you’d expect from a business class flight: flight socks, an eye mask, ear plugs, a dental kit, moisturiser, and a tiny pen. Why are they always so tiny?

Bathroom

The bathroom was situated just in front of my row next to the galley and was reserved for Flagship Business passengers only. It was on the small side, which is to be expected on a narrow-body aircraft like the Airbus A321T.

In terms of bathroom amenities, these were very basic for a business class bathroom: just regular non-branded soap from a faucet-like dispenser and a box of tissues.

There was a power outlet (for shaving?)…

…and a fold-down platform for diaper changing.

Service

The service absolutely met my high expectations of Flagship Business class. Here’s why.

When I boarded, James — the cabin crew lead for Flagship Business — asked if I was familiar with the seat and where all the power outlets were. I’d never been asked this previously so it took me pleasantly by surprise.

We were also offered a welcome drink of either water, orange juice, or Piper-Heidsieck Champagne.

Naturally, I went for the bubbles.

I also really appreciate a hot towel service, so was happy when these were handed out.

I couldn’t fault the proactiveness of James who made sure my glass was never empty, meaning I never had to ask for a drink (other than water).

When James came to clear away my tray I told him that the meal was amazing. He replied with a “yeah, yeah” which I thought to be rather standoffish but I figured he may have just misunderstood what I’d said what with the noise of the engines, the muffling of the masks, and my British accent.

A couple of hours later, I popped into the galley to chat with James and a couple of other crew members who were more than happy to have a chat and take a quick selfie.

Thank you to James and the rest of the crew for a great first Flagship Business experience.

COVID-19 Protocols

At the time of my flight, mask-wearing in airports and on flights in the U.S. was still mandated by the CDC. To that effect, regular announcements were made throughout the flight to remind passengers to wear their masks unless eating or drinking.

Arrival

Thanks to my position towards the main exit door of the aircraft, I was swiftly off the plane and into the fancy new Harvey Milk terminal at SFO at around 8:20 p.m.

It was an unexpectedly impressive welcome to the city, and a far more beautiful one compared to the last time I landed at the airport 10 years ago.

I walked through the terminal, which felt more like a fancy shopping mall, quite literally mouth agape at just how spectacular the space was. There was even a Harvey Milk exhibition curated by SFO Museum.

It felt like a long wait between getting off the plane and being reunited with my bag at 9 p.m. but it was also already midnight in New York, so I was pretty tired.

Final Thoughts

I was very happy I’d decided to splash out a little on my transcontinental flight between New York and San Francisco.

I know it’s not classed as a long-haul flight, but at almost 6 hours and with a 3-hour time difference, it felt pretty much the same as my flight over to the U.S. from London (LHR) to New York (JFK).

Having a lie-flight seat meant I was able to get some proper shut-eye and I really enjoyed the food. My glass of bubbles was constantly topped up.

While I couldn’t fault the crew at all with their service and professionalism, it just felt a little cold compared to other airlines. For example, it was poles apart from the crew I had on my JetBlue flight.

When all’s said and done, I would absolutely recommend booking American Airlines Flagship Business if it operates on your desired transcontinental route.