American Airlines (AAL) Begins Flying New Long-Range, Narrow-Body Planes

American Airlines (AAL), the world's largest carrier, says it is entering a new era of travel as it begins flying passengers on new long-range, narrow-body planes.Claim 50% Off TipRanks Premium and Invest with Confidence Unlock hedge-fund level data and powerful investing tools designed to help you make smarter, sharper decisions Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis so your portfolio is always positioned for maximum potential The Airbus (EADSY) A321XLR aircraft are initially being used by American Airlines on flights between New York and California. The planes are skinny, long-range planes that can travel up to 4,700 miles. American Airlines says the planes can fly farther than across the U.S. but that New York to Los Angeles is a highly profitable route for the company. Going forward, American Airlines says that it plans to use the long-range aircraft on routes to smaller European cities from its Philadelphia hub or from New York City. The narrow planes will be used on routes that might not warrant the planes in its fleet that are larger and more expensive to operate, such as a Boeing (BA) 777 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Replacing Widebody Aircraft American Airlines says the new Airbus plane will be used for destinations that are just too small for a widebody aircraft, such as Bordeaux and Marseille in France; Oslo, Norway; Stockholm, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Seville, Spain. American plans to debut the long-range aircraft in Europe starting in March 2026 with a new nonstop flight from New York City to Edinburgh, Scotland. Airlines are increasingly turning to smaller planes for longer, nonstop flights. The airplane's interior is luxurious, with premium seats taking up a fifth of the total available space. Is AAL Stock a Buy? The stock of American Airlines has a consensus Moderate Buy rating among 15 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on six Buy, eight Hold, and one Sell recommendations issued in the last three months. The average AAL price target of $15.70 implies 0.96% upside from current levels.