Key facts
- American Airlines will increase premium seating to approximately 40% of narrowbody seats.
- Seatback entertainment screens will be restored on over 800 narrowbody aircraft.
- Retrofits are scheduled to begin in 2028 and conclude in the early 2030s.
- New aircraft deliveries starting in 2028 will include seatback screens.
- The airline aims to close a profit gap with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
American Airlines announced a significant strategic shift to enhance its premium offerings and narrow its profit margin with competitors. The airline plans to increase the proportion of premium seats on its narrowbody aircraft to approximately 40% from the current 25%. This includes adding more first-class seats and main cabin seats with extra legroom as part of fleet reconfigurations and new aircraft deliveries.
In addition to seating upgrades, American Airlines will reintroduce seatback entertainment screens on its narrowbody jets, reversing a decade-old strategy that favored passengers using their own devices. The airline cited changing customer preferences, particularly among younger travelers, and advancements in in-flight Wi-Fi as reasons for this change. The retrofitting process for over 800 aircraft is slated to begin in 2028 and continue into the early 2030s, with new planes also arriving with screens from 2028.
These initiatives come as American Airlines faces pressure to improve its financial performance. While premium travelers accounted for nearly half of the airline's ticketed revenue in the second quarter, it continues to trail Delta and United in profitability. CEO Robert Isom has acknowledged a "meaningful gap" in performance and recently made management changes. The airline is forecasting break-even results for the year, contrasting with the solid profits expected by its main rivals.