Airline Profile: American Airlines
The Facts:
| Founded | 1930 |
| Alliance | Oneworld |
| Hubs |
Dallas/Fort Worth (Largest) Charlotte Miami Chicago O’Hare Philadelphia Phoenix Sky Harbor New York LaGuardia New York JFK Washington Reagan National |
| Headquarters | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Frequent Flyer Program | AAdvantage |
| Fleet Count | Around 949 |
| Skytrax Rating | 3 Stars (out of 5) |
| Type of Airline | Full Service Carrier |
| Parent Company | American Airlines Group Inc. |
| Travel Classes |
Short Haul: Economy Main Cabin Extra (extra legroom economy) First Class (domestic) Business Class (short-haul international) Flagship Business Transcontinental (on Airbus A321T only) Flagship First Transcontinental (on Airbus A321T only) International: Economy Main Cabin Extra Premium Economy Flagship Business Flagship First (only on Boeing 777-300er) |
| Website | aa.com |
| Competitors | |
| Logo |  |
American Airlines Merged With US Airways in 2015
Analysis:
What to Avoid:
737 MAX/737-800 retrofit: American Airlines is in the process of receiving Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and retrofitting its current 737-800s with a new configuration. The new arrangement features 30 inches of pitch (legroom) in economy, which is cramped. While there is personal device entertainment (bring your device and stream content on it) and WIFI equipped on the aircraft, this is a downgrade over some of its earlier 737s which had seat-back screens. Also, First Class features denser seats, and the bathrooms (in economy) are extremely small. All of these factors make these aircraft worth avoiding.
Boeing 757-200 and 767-300 Economy: I include these aircraft on this list for one reason: the lack of in-flight entertainment on these aircraft. The 757s and 767s are flown on long-haul flights such as to Europe or South America. In economy class on both aircraft types, there is no in-flight entertainment to be had, not even wifi or personal device entertainment. In business class, tablets are handed out as in-flight entertainment by the crew, and while it is still not ideal, it is much better than the complete lack of entertainment in economy. If you are the type of person who relies on airline gave in-flight entertainment to keep yourself occupied onboard, then do your best to avoid this aircraft (unless you are in business class).
Travel Classes:
Economy:
All A319s, A320s, A321s, 737s, MD-80s, A330s, 777s, and 787s feature either Personal Device Entertainment or seat-back screens in economy class (and business/first class). American also features an extra-legroom economy section called Main Cabin Extra, which has around 4 inches of extra legroom compared to regular economy. Main Cabin Extra is featured on most aircraft. On long haul and select transcontinental flights, passengers get free meals while on short-haul flights, passengers have to pay for snacks and meals.
Short Haul First/Business:
First/Business Class on American features recliner seats with more legroom and seat width without a leg rest on all narrow-body aircraft, besides internationally configured 757s which feature flat-bed seats. First/Business class passengers do not have access to any airport lounge unless they are connecting internationally. First class passengers also receive better food than in economy but do not receive amenity kits. First/business class is in a 2-2 configuration on the A319/A320/A321/737/MD80 and is in a 2-1 configuration on regional aircraft.
Premium Economy:
Premium Economy is found on all 787-9s, A330-200s, 777-300ers, and on some 777-200s. It features better food than economy, more recline, wider seats, more amenities, and a footrest. The seat can be compared to what long-haul business class was like on most airlines 20 years ago.
Flagship business Class:
On all A330s, 767s, 777s, and 787s, business class feature all aisle access with flat bed seats. It is known by American as “Flagship Business Class.” On 757s, business class features flat-bed seats in a 2-2 configuration. Please note that on the 757 and 767, business class passengers receive a tablet with pre-loaded content instead of personal on-demand screens. American also has 17 Airbus A321s which it flies between New York JFK and San Francisco and Los Angeles. Business class service on these flights is similar to long-haul business class and is in a lie-flat 2-2 configuration. Passengers also have access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge located at select American Airlines hubs.
Flagship First Class:
First Class on American is only found on Boeing 777-300ers and Airbus A321 Transcontinental. On the 777-300er, it features eight open suites slightly more private than in Business and on the Airbus A321 it features 10 Reverse Herringbone seats, identical to Business Class on the 777-300er. Passengers also have access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge and the Flagship Dining section of the lounge (which features a la carte meals).
Have you ever flown on American Airlines? Share about your experience below in the comments section!
