American Airlines To Launch First International Route to Edinburgh

American Airlines will begin flying between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 8, 2026. This marks the first international trip for its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft. The seasonal service runs through Oct. 24, 2026.

The carrier got its first A321XLR in October. It will first deploy the jet on a domestic trip between New York and Los Angeles starting December 18. The transatlantic debut comes less than three months after that.

“With the game-changing Airbus A321XLR now in our fleet, we could not be more excited to connect the Big Apple with Auld Reekie. This is the right aircraft to open this route and with an elevated premium experience for travelers to enjoy,” said Brian Znotins, American's Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, per the American Newsroom.

The A321XLR has an extra fuel tank that allows it to fly up to 5,400 miles or 11 hours nonstop while burning less fuel than older models. It holds 155 passengers in a three-class configuration with 20 Flagship Suite seats, 12 Premium Economy seats and 123 Main Cabin seats.

Flagship Suite passengers get lie-flat seating, direct aisle access, and wireless charging. Premium Economy includes winged headrests, calf rests, footrests, and wireless charging. All seats come with high-speed Wi-Fi, seatback entertainment screens, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Hot meals and complimentary beverages will be served in each cabin on transatlantic trips, with menus rotating monthly. The aircraft also has new supersized overhead bins for passenger belongings.

The Edinburgh trip will complement existing widebody service from Philadelphia that the Fort Worth-based carrier launched in summer 2025. Philadelphia to Edinburgh trips will start March 28 and run through Oct. 24, 2026 using Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

This marks the seventh new transatlantic trip announced for summer 2026. The carrier revealed in August that it would add trips from Dallas/Fort Worth to Athens and Zürich, Philadelphia to Prague and Budapest, and Miami to Milan.

Roundtrip fares on the A321XLR's first trip between New York and Los Angeles start at about $750 in economy and around $3,000 in business class in December. Pricing for the Edinburgh trip hasn't been released.