CHICAGO, Nov. 7, 2026 — United has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo “Coastliner,” the premium-heavy jet it will use on its top coast-to-coast routes. Airbus delays pushed the debut from summer 2026 to early 2027.
The aircraft
- United posted a first look on social media on Thursday evening, Nov. 5. The jet wears a “Coastliner” decal.
- Planned routes: Newark–Los Angeles and Newark–San Francisco, and likely JFK once United returns there (date TBA).
- First passenger flight: early 2027 (exact date TBA).
- Cabin: 20 Polaris suites in 10 rows, one-by-one, with sliding privacy doors; 12 Premium Plus recliners in three rows of 2-2; and a walk-up snack bar for economy. The total seat count has not been published (TBA).
- United has 50 Coastliners and 50 A321XLRs on order.
What it means for non-revs
- The Coastliner puts more lie-flat seats on Newark transcons, but its total seat count is not yet known. Check the configuration on each flight before you list once it enters service.
- Nothing changes on these routes until early 2027.
Sources
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