United’s new A321XLR is packed with tech, and it’s about to take on new transatlantic routes

United’s new Airbus A321XLR begins service soon, and it’s packed with tech It’ll mostly serve international, transatlantic routes with free Starlink-powered Wi-Fi The big surprise? Two Economy Plus rows with no middle seats Just a few months back, I got to go inside United’s next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner , complete with a high-tech new interior, spacious seats, and some notable upgrades for Economy.

The 787 is a wide-body aircraft built for United’s biggest and longest routes, and now, the airline is bringing that same design philosophy to a much smaller plane and experimenting with something I’ve never seen on a United aircraft before: an Economy Plus row with no middle seat.

I’ve been inside United’s brand-new Airbus A321XLR, a single-aisle aircraft that’s designed to bridge the gap between narrowbody efficiency and widebody distance capabilities, and it’s a pretty fascinating look at where the airline’s cabins are headed.

There’s a new Polaris business-class seat with closing doors, a spacious Premium Plus cabin, 4K OLED screens at every seat, Starlink Wi-Fi from day one , and, yes, those two-seat Economy Plus rows, designed to give you a little more space without the dreaded middle seat.

And after spending time in all four cabins, I think United might be onto something.

Let’s start with the new Polaris business-class product .

The A321XLR is a single-body aircraft with 20 Polaris seats, complete with closing doors on either the left or right side of the aircraft.

They are pretty spacious, though a bit smaller than the Polaris seats on the 787 Dreamliner.

Still, you get an ample seat with an electronic touchscreen control to let it lay flat, kick out the leg rest, or adjust many facets of the experience. (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) There are plenty of power ports, including two USB-C ports that top out at 60 watts, a standard wall plug, and a wireless charger.

At the center of the experience is a 19-inch 4K OLED screen that’s touch-enabled and, with a button press, slightly pushes out from its base and lets you pull it forward for the perfect view.

You’ll also find plenty of storage and a sizable tray table that I wish was a bit larger — still, it should fit a 14-inch laptop very comfortably. (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) That’s the most premium experience on board the A321XLR.

The middle option of United’s three class offerings is Premium Plus, which features a very spacious recliner that rivals those in domestic first class on smaller single-body aircraft. (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) It boasts a 16-inch 4K OLED screen that can tilt and matches the size of the screen on the original Polaris product still in use on some aircraft.

You’ll even find a wireless charger tucked under the armrest — a unique spot, but helpful.