AA Expands Empty A321neo Transatlantic Training Flights to 20+ Runs

(PHILADELPHIA) American Airlines is flying an Airbus A321neo back and forth across the Atlantic without passengers for most of September, an unusual move meant to prepare crews for the Airbus A321XLR’s long-haul launch next year. The carrier has scheduled daily training sectors between Philadelphia and Edinburgh from September 4 to September 24, 2025, with flight numbers AA9805 eastbound and AA9806 westbound.

The airline says these trips will train senior “check airmen”—the instructors who certify other pilots—on oceanic procedures the company hasn’t used on Airbus narrowbody jets. The flights cover roughly 2,909 nautical miles each way, last six to seven and a half hours depending on winds, and could total as many as 40 transatlantic legs. The cost is expected to exceed a seven‑figure sum, reflecting fuel, maintenance, crew time, and aircraft depreciation.

Training flights and the aircraft used

The aircraft at the heart of the program is a brand-new A321neo registered N471AN, normally assigned to domestic routes. American selected this airframe because it’s a close cousin of the A321XLR, which will soon handle long overwater missions the company intends to market as right-sized, fuel-efficient options between secondary U.S. cities and European destinations.

Although simulators cover most skills, instructors say real oceanic flights remain important for aspects like procedural discipline, fuel monitoring across changing jet streams, and hands-on coordination with oceanic control. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the plan calls for check airmen to log real-world experience so they can then qualify and train line pilots ahead of the XLR’s planned service debut in March 2026.

American does not currently use Airbus narrowbody aircraft on transatlantic routes, so these practice trips build a foundation from scratch for the A321XLR era.

What the training covers

Each flight segment forces crews to handle:

• Oceanic clearances and position reporting
• Long-range fuel planning and monitoring against actual burn
• Contingency scenarios (diversions, degraded navigation, weather reroutes)
• Coordination with dispatch, maintenance, and gate operations on both sides of the Atlantic

The work is especially detail-oriented westbound, when stronger headwinds can stretch sector times past seven hours and narrow fuel margins. Planners account for alternates and reserve fuel conservatively, and crews must demonstrate solid judgment while calibrating real fuel burn against the plan.

Daily rhythm and crew roles

The airline arranged a daily rhythm to maximize learning:

1. AA9805 operates eastbound from Philadelphia to Edinburgh.
2. AA9806 returns to the United States the next day.

Onboard, check airmen cycle through roles:

• One acts as instructor
• Another as evaluating captain
• A third as pilot under instruction

These flights let the team rehearse coordination not only in the cockpit but with all supporting functions, which matters because once A321XLR service begins American will need dozens of pilots and ground teams aligned across stations and time zones.

Why real-world oceanic training matters

U.S. rules require airlines to prove pilots are trained and current for intended operations. While the FAA accepts simulator sessions for most tasks, carriers still build competency with real flights when adding new long overwater routes—especially for aircraft types that haven’t done such work within the company.

Advisory circulars such as the FAA’s guidance on extended operations (ETOPS) set expectations for fuel requirements, alternates, and systems reliability. Readers can review the FAA’s framework in Advisory Circular 120‑42B on Extended Operations, which outlines how airlines structure planning and training for these missions.

American’s decision to operate empty sectors reflects a cautious approach—run the drills in the real oceanic environment, then scale up.

In practice, oceanic clearances (issued before entering non-radar airspace) define routes, altitudes, and timing to separate aircraft. Pilots manage position reports, contingency offsets, and procedural speed/altitude changes. Long-range fuel management involves periodic comparisons of planned vs. actual consumption, speed/altitude adjustments for winds, and protection of fuel for alternates and holding. These are precisely the skills being tested on the A321neo training flights.

Scope, human factors, and costs

American is running up to 40 transatlantic sectors—roughly 20 roundtrips—to sample a range of conditions: calmer eastbound jet streams and tougher westbound headwinds. The program also exposes crews to the human side of long narrowbody flights: tight space, smaller galleys, and the need to maintain focus without the extra flight-deck staffing common on widebodies.

The expected costs have drawn attention:

• Fuel for empty transatlantic sectors is substantial
• Maintenance cycles, crew pay, and aircraft depreciation add to the bill
• Internal estimates place the total outlay beyond a million dollars for the month-long project

Critics, including environmental advocates, argue empty flights send the wrong message during pressure to reduce emissions. Supporters inside the airline counter that this is a finite, targeted investment in safety and that A321XLR service will reduce emissions per passenger by matching smaller aircraft to appropriate markets.

Balancing training needs and environmental concerns

Instructors supporting the program say simulators cannot fully recreate real-world uncertainty: unexpected turbulence, shifting winds, oceanic radio static, and the mental load of actual North Atlantic tracks. They emphasize the short training window with a single aircraft, not an open-ended exercise.

VisaVerge.com reports the airline expects the September groundwork to reduce the learning curve once A321XLRs arrive in numbers, allowing American to place pilots directly into scheduled service after final checks.

Why Philadelphia–Edinburgh makes sense

The Philadelphia–Edinburgh pairing is practical for training:

• Edinburgh’s runway and facilities handle the A321neo with margin
• The distance (~2,909 nm) fits within the A321neo’s range in a light/ferry configuration
• Block times of ~6 hours eastbound and ~7.5 hours westbound expose crews to both easier and harder directions without extreme wind exposure

That balance helps check airmen grade performance on fuel management, step climbs, and communications before winter weather complicates the North Atlantic.

Preparing the training backbone for rollout

American stresses the focus is on check airmen, who will then cascade training to line pilots. The airline has 50 A321XLRs on order, with the first delivered for cabin outfitting. These check airmen will later run recurrent training and initial operating experience flights across the network.

The company plans to base an international A321XLR pilot group at JFK to support an expanded transatlantic schedule. To fit the XLR’s mission, American is finishing new business class seats and a long-haul cabin setup before the first jet enters service.

Network, scheduling, and operational implications

The A321XLR is intended to:

• Serve city pairs that would not fill a widebody but can support a smaller, fuel-sipping narrowbody
• Provide more nonstop access from mid-size U.S. markets to Europe, reducing connections
• Offer employers more options for short-notice travel without routing through major gateways

Operationally, this adds complexity around alternates, fuel, and crew planning. For pilots, expect long working days on a narrowbody without augmented crews, requiring careful rest planning and scheduling rules. For airports and border officials, spreading smaller arrivals can ease peak congestion caused by widebody waves.

Regulatory context and risk management

American’s approach fits U.S. safety culture: train early, train often, verify competency before the first ticketed passenger boards. FAA inspectors and principal operations inspectors review training programs and check airman qualifications. For extended operations, airlines follow detailed planning for fuel, alternates, and fuel-temperature management over long stretches.

Training with an empty cabin avoids reputational risk on day one of service. Senior managers view the expense as buying down uncertainty—preferable to the fallout from an early operational failure that could strand travelers and create lasting headlines.

Simulator vs. real-flight debate

Critics ask whether simulator time alone could have replaced these empty trips. Instructors respond:

• Simulators can drill failures but struggle to recreate organic oceanic flows with real traffic, HF radio variability, and changing winds
• North Atlantic operations use procedural separation rather than radar, demanding disciplined position reports and timekeeping
• Typical airline programs blend simulator work with supervised real flights, then lock lessons into manuals

American’s September plan follows that pattern: test, observe, adjust, then expand training.

Timeline and next steps

The timeline is tight: the A321XLR is expected to start scheduled service in March 2026, leaving roughly 18 months from the September training block to expand the pilot pool, finish cabin work, and complete regulatory sign-offs.

Route planning teams are modeling city pairs that fit the XLR’s economics: long enough to leverage range, small enough that a twin-aisle would be too big, and premium-heavy enough to make the business cabin pay.

Readers can expect more training activity through the fall as American digests the September results. If training expands to other city pairs, it will likely target practical distances and airports suitable for A321neo/XLR operations.

For official guidance on extended operations requirements and oceanic planning, consult the FAA’s AC 120‑42B on Extended Operations.

Bottom line

The month of empty A321neo crossings amounts to an investment in people as much as machines. Check airmen will carry lessons into classrooms, simulators, and real cockpits, shaping how hundreds of pilots fly narrowbody long hauls across the Atlantic.

The A321XLR promises lower trip costs and wider reach; the training seeks to make those promises real, safe, and reliable. American’s decision to run the drills now—on its terms—reflects airline reality: practice is expensive, but mistakes are costlier. If all goes to plan, customers will soon see the payoff in more nonstop choices across the Atlantic while crews settle into routines built on hours of careful preparation.