Featured ReviewAugust 15, 2018
American Airlines Business Class Reviews (777-200 & A321T)
Three American Airlines premium cabins, each flown and photographed in full. Two are the Boeing 777-200 across the Atlantic, one westbound from London to Los Angeles and one eastbound from New York to London, which is a useful pair because the same aircraft type gave two quite different flights. The third is the A321T from New York to Los Angeles, the transcontinental narrow-body that remains the only way to lie flat on that route.
The pattern across all three is that American gets the hardware right and the service is where it slips. The seats, the Casper bedding, the screens and the Bose headphones all stand comparison with better-regarded airlines; the crews and the catering rarely do. Each review names the seats we would book and the ones we would move away from, especially near the galleys on the 777-200, and shows the actual cabin rather than a press photo.
All American Airlines Business Class Reviews (777-200 & A321T)
3 articles
January 29, 2018
Review: American Airlines (777-200) Business Class from New York to London
American's 777-200 in a private 1-2-1 layout to London. Comfortable to sit in, tight to sleep in if you are tall, and no...
Read ArticleJanuary 16, 2018
Review: American Airlines (A321T) Business Class from New York to Los Angeles
The only lie-flat seat on the transcon. A 2-2 cabin that suits couples, sharp screens and good headphones, with Prosecco...
Read ArticleFrequently asked questions
Is American Airlines 777-200 business class any good?
The hardware holds up better than the service does. On our London to Los Angeles flight the seat was comfortable, the Casper bedding genuinely good and the Bose headphones a cut above what most airlines hand out. The drinks list and the indifferent crew were the weak points, and the ice cream sundae was the food highlight. The New York to London flight was similar, with a 1-2-1 layout that felt private but a bed that runs short for taller passengers.
Which seats should I avoid on the American 777-200?
The ones nearest the galley. Noise carried on our New York to London flight and it is the single thing most likely to spoil the seat, so it is worth checking the seat map before you pick rather than after. On the A321T the thing to weigh instead is the 2-2 layout, where a window seat means climbing past your neighbour to reach the aisle.
Is the A321T worth booking between New York and Los Angeles?
If you want to lie flat on that route, it is the only option, which is most of the argument for it. The cabin is 2-2 rather than 1-2-1, so it suits couples and leaves solo travellers with a neighbour and no direct aisle access at the window. The screens and noise-cancelling headphones are good. Catering is ordinary, and Prosecco stands in where you might expect Champagne.