Narrowbody jets are getting bigger, and the Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 737 MAX are taking single-aisle aviation further than ever. This provides the motive and opportunity to give high-paying passengers the option to select lie-flat business class. Five notable airlines deploying lie-flat business class seats on their A321XLRs in 2026-2027 are Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, Aer Lingus, and LATAM. Copa Airlines and Singapore Airlines have also deployed lie-flat seating on their 737 MAX jets.

The increasing decision to bring the world’s best business class products onto narrowbody aircraft indicates that the hub-and-spoke model is continuing to unwind. It also shows that narrowbody aircraft are continuing to push into premium territory previously only covered by widebody jets.

LATAM Airlines

Airbus A321XLR

LATAM Airlines unveiled its A321XLR cabin this April, including 12 lie-flat seats, as reported by Omni Flights. These seats will be in a 1-1 configuration and feature 12 Thompson VantageSOLO suites. This is Thompson Aerospace’s business class seat designed specifically for single-aisle aircraft flying medium- to long-range routes. Cabins using this seat are traditionally in a reverse herringbone layout to ensure the aisle is wide enough while maximizing space for passengers.

The suites also have room for dining for two, showing that neither privacy nor couples traveling has been ignored. Thompson Aerospace proudly states that Johnny Clark of The Design Air writes that “there’s swathes of space and the seats are comfortable.” Passengers using the business class suites will have direct aisle access, along with a privacy door, wireless charging, and Bluetooth audio pairing.

The table above details the full LATAM Airlines Group fleet, showing where aircraft from the Airbus A321XLR jets will fit in. It uses data from Planespotters.net and shows a healthy narrowbody order sheet, but no orders for widebody aircraft.

According to Omni Flights, LATAM plans to operate a 13-aircraft fleet of A321XLR jets from Lima and cities in Brazil. The jets will use their 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km) range to build new direct routes to North America and Europe. Deliveries and route launches are expected to begin in 2027. Paulo Miranda, Chief Experience and Customer Officer at LATAM Airlines Group, said that “the Airbus A321XLR allows us to take our value proposition to the next level and elevate the travel experience for our passengers.”

Air Canada

Airbus A321XLR

This June, Air Canada debuted its A321XLR jets that have lie-flat Signature Class suites on transatlantic routes, The Traveler reports. Air Canada currently has orders for 30 of these aircraft. With a total cabin capacity of 182 passengers, Air Canada will fill these jets with 168 economy seats and 14 suites. The lie-flat business class suites will be available as the aircraft connect its hubs, like Montreal and Toronto, with key destinations in Western Europe.

These Signature Class suites are built from Collins Aerospace’s Aurora platform, which Air Canada has customized with its usual finishes. RTX reports that Cynthia Muklevicz, Vice President of Global Airlines & Lessors for Collins Aerospace, said that “by integrating the suites, monuments and galley space into a unified architecture, we’re able to make better use of the cabin footprint while maintaining passenger comfort and the service capabilities airlines need to deliver a true premium experience.”

The use of the suite has maximized premium seating space available aboard the aircraft, allowing Air Canada to add another row of the class. Although the Aurora platform has been built for narrowbody aircraft like the A321XLR, it takes lessons from widebody business class.

This includes “a distinctly contoured architecture to reclaim additional area for passenger hips, knees and elbows.” RTX adds that “the articulating seat diaphragm subtly flexes and adapts to augment comfort.” Air Canada has also made use of seatback options that give passengers access to better storage, in-flight entertainment, and a personal power supply.

American Airlines

Airbus A321XLR

In October 2025, American Airlines’ first A321XLR touched down in Texas and took its inaugural passenger flight that December. Despite the limited space onboard this single-aisle jet, American Airlines’ A321XLRs are incredibly premium-dense. The planes have 20 Flagship Suite business class lie-flat suites onboard. Factoring in the small cabin of 12 premium economy seats onboard, the proportion of premium seats onboard is around 20%.

American Airlines debuted its Flagship Suite in June 2025 on the Boeing 787. Customers have access to a wireless charging pad, additional storage, in-flight entertainment, and a multicourse meal. These business class passengers can also enjoy priority check-in, security, boarding, and baggage handling to make flying a far smoother experience.

The table below shows the dimensions that passengers can expect when flying on American Airlines’ A321XLRs in each class. It uses data from Simple Flying’s seat map. All three economy class lavatories are at the back of the aircraft, while one is at the front. All passengers are able to use all lavatories.

American Airlines’ A321XLR business class has received somewhat mixed reviews. One Mile At A Time said that it had “never seen passengers so unhappy.” Comments overheard from other passengers included “this is the worst business class seat I’ve ever been in,” “I can’t believe this is their new business class, what were they thinking?” and “who designed this seat, this is so tight?”

One Mile At A Time’s reviewer concluded that “I’ve flown a lot of new products shortly after launch, but I’ve never witnessed such a negative reaction from other passengers in the cabin, especially without any sort of prompting. I didn’t hear a single passenger on the plane say a good thing about the cabin or seats.”

United Airlines

Airbus A321XLR

United Airlines will eventually fly 50 units of the Airbus A321XLR, and, eventually, each of these will have the same three-cabin and four-class layout. This layout will feature 20 Polaris seats (lie-flat business class), along with 12 Premium Plus, 36 Economy Plus, and 82 economy class seats. The limited width of the A321XLR requires the Polaris seats to be in a herringbone layout, with the seats facing towards the aisle at a 49-degree angle.

The premium passengers also get their own lavatory, which is shared with the pilots. A small snack bar keeps the Polaris passengers fed and refreshed during meal times, while free Starlink Wi-Fi keeps the passengers entertained. United’s fleet of A321XLR will replace the carrier’s aging Boeing 757 jets.

Patrick Quayle, United’s SVP, explained to Avio Space the advantage that the A321XLR has over the 757. He said that “the 757 is getting a bit uneconomic, but we want to continue flying to these cities, and the A321XLR is longer-ranged and has much better fuel burn and maintenance costs.” The A321XLR also provides an opportunity to provide a higher density of premium seats on a narrowbody aircraft. United’s 757-200s currently have just 16 Polaris and 42 Economy Plus seats.

Aer Lingus

Airbus A321XLR

Thompson Aero Seating has worked with Aer Lingus to provide a 16-seat lie-flat business class cabin aboard the Irish carrier’s A321XLR planes. Aer Lingus says that the seats “give you plenty of space to stretch out and relax on your journey across the Atlantic.” Alongside the added space, passengers can enjoy seats with a massage option, USB-A and USB-C outlets for device charging, a retractable table for dining and working, and plenty of storage space for your bags, laptop, tablet and shoes.

Entertainment comes from a 4K touch screen that has over 120 hours of content available. Every screen has Bluetooth technology so you can enjoy the content with your own headphones. The table below shows the dimensions according to Aer Lingus’s data.

Business class A321XLR passengers will be well-fed with Aer Lingus’ popular premium food options. The menu combines fresh Irish produce with flavors from around the world. It is curated depending on the season. Wines from around the world are well-paired with what’s on offer. These drinks are complimentary throughout your flight.