American Airlines has placed orders for 260 new aircraft, comprising 85 Airbus A321neo, 85 Boeing 737 MAX 10 and 90 Embraer E175 aircraft. The orders also include options and purchase rights for an additional 193 aircraft. As part of the Boeing order, American Airlines has ‘upgauged’ 30 existing B737 MAX 8 orders to the higher-capacity B737 MAX 10 aircraft.
The orders form part of the airline’s continued investment in expanding the number of premium seats available across its narrowbody and regional fleets, and will also enable it to grow its domestic and short-haul international network.
“Over the past decade, we have invested heavily to modernise and simplify our fleet, which is the largest and youngest among US network carriers,” said Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines. “These orders will continue to fuel our fleet with newer, more efficient aircraft so we can continue to deliver the best network and record-setting operational reliability.”
Since 2014, American has taken delivery of more than 600 mainline and regional aircraft. With this latest fleet announcement, the airline now has 440 aircraft on order, extending its aircraft order book into the next decade so it can continue to meet the growing demand for air travel.
“As we look into the next decade, American will have a steady stream of new aircraft alongside a balanced level of capital investment, which will allow us to expand our network and deliver for our shareholders,” said American’s chief financial officer, Devon May.
Measured narrowbody fleet growth
Over the past decade, American Airlines has mainly used Airbus A321 and A321neo aircraft for routes across the USA and to short-haul international destinations. The airline is the largest single-carrier operator in the world of A320 Family aircraft.
“The continued investment in the A321neo is a testament to the unprecedented value of the world’s most versatile and capable single-aisle aircraft,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus’s EVP of commercial aircraft sales. “For nearly two decades, American Airlines has used its A320 family of aircraft, some of which have been produced in the US in Mobile, Alabama, to grow its domestic and short-haul international network and provide an exceptional experience for its passengers and crews.”
It is not just about Airbus though. American is also planning for the future with the new order for B737 MAX 10s, and looks forward to certification of the aircraft. The airline currently operates the 737 MAX 8, and the addition of the B737 MAX 10 is intended to allow American to continue to upgauge its fleet and provide more flexibility across its network.
“We deeply appreciate American Airlines’ trust in Boeing and its confidence in the 737 MAX family,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “American’s selection of the 737-10 will provide even greater efficiency, commonality and flexibility for its global network and operations. Our team here at Boeing is committed to delivering on this new order.”
Upgauged regional fleet
American is focused on bringing larger, dual-class regional aircraft into its fleet, which will continue to drive connectivity from smaller markets to the rest of the airline’s global network. The airline expects to retire all of its 50-seat single-class regional jets by the end of the decade. It will then continue to serve small and medium-size markets using larger regional jets.
Dual-class regional jets with premium seating, high-speed satellite wi-fi and in-seat power are expected to make up American’s entire regional fleet upon completion of the Embraer E175 deliveries. The new E175 aircraft will be operated by American Airlines’ wholly owned regional carriers (Envoy Air (formerly American Eagle Airlines), Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines).
“The E175 is truly the backbone of the US aviation network, connecting all corners of the country,” said Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation. “One of the world’s most successful aircraft programmes, the E175, was upgraded with a series of modifications that improved fuel burn by 6.5%. This modern, comfortable, reliable and efficient aircraft continues to deliver the connectivity the US depends on day after day. This represents American’s largest-ever single order of E175s, and we thank American for its continued trust in our products and people.”
Enhancements to existing aircraft
American Airlines has noted growing customer demand for premium travel, and in response will be retrofitting its A319 and A320 aircraft beginning in 2025. The retrofit will refresh the interior with power at every seat, larger overhead bins, and new seats with updated trim and finish.
The A319 fleet will be outfitted with more premium seats, for a total of 12 domestic first-class seats on each aircraft. The A320 fleet retrofits will increase the aircraft’s domestic first-class seat count to 16 on each aircraft.
With the planned refresh of existing aircraft and the expected deliveries of new aircraft, premium seating in American’s fleet is expected to grow by more than 20% by 2026.
