American Airlines

American Airlines

, is a major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the world's largest airline when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passenger mile. American, together with its regional partners and affiliates, operates an extensive international and domestic network with almost 6,800 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld alliance, the third-largest airline alliance in the world. Regional service is operated by independent and subsidiary carriers under the brand name American Eagle.

American Airlines and American Eagle operate out of 10 hubs, with Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) being its largest. The airline handles more than 200 million passengers annually with an average of more than 500,000 passengers daily. As of 2019, the company employs nearly 130,000 people.

American Airlines was started in 1930 via a union of more than eighty small airlines. The two organizations from which American Airlines was originated were Robertson Aircraft Corporation and Colonial Air Transport. The former was first created in Missouri in 1921, with both being merged in 1929 into holding company The Aviation Corporation. This, in turn, was made in 1930 into an operating company and rebranded as American Airways. In 1934, when new laws and attrition of mail contracts forced many airlines to reorganize, the corporation redid its routes into a connected system and was renamed American Airlines. Between 1970 and 2000, the company grew into being an international carrier, purchasing Trans World Airlines in 2001.

Fleet American Airlines fleet

A long gray plane is near landing with its landing gear deployed American operates 20 of its flagship aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER. As of April 2022, American Airlines operates the largest commercial fleet in the world, comprising 911 aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus, with an additional 161 planned or on order.

Over 80% of American's aircraft are narrow-bodies, mainly Airbus A320 series and the Boeing 737-800. It is the largest A320 series aircraft operator in the world, as well as the largest operator of the A319 and A321 variants. It is the fourth-largest operator of 737 family aircraft and second-largest operator of the 737-800 variant.

American's wide-body aircraft are all Boeing airliners. It is the third-largest operator of the Boeing 787 series and the sixth-largest operator of the Boeing 777 series.

American exclusively ordered Boeing aircraft throughout the 2000s. This strategy shifted on July 20, 2011, when American announced the largest combined aircraft order in history for 460 narrow-body jets including 260 aircraft from the Airbus A320 series. Additional Airbus aircraft joined the fleet in 2013 during the US Airways merger, which operated a nearly all Airbus fleet.

On August 16, 2022, American announced that a deal had been confirmed with Boom Supersonic to purchase at least 20 of their Overture supersonic airliners and potentially up to 60 in total.

American Airlines operates aircraft maintenance and repair bases at the Charlotte, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas–Fort Worth, Pittsburgh (where all its Airbus narrowbody aircraft are maintained), and Tulsa airports.

Cabins

Flagship First and Business seats on an Airbus A321

Flagship First

Flagship First is American's international and transcontinental first class product. It is offered only on Boeing 777-300ERs and select Airbus A321s which American designates "A321T". The seats are fully lie-flat and offer direct aisle access with only one on each side of the aisle in each row. As with the airline's other premium cabins, Flagship First offers wider food and beverage options, larger seats, and lounge access at certain airports. American offers domestic Flagship First service on transcontinental routes between New York–JFK and Los Angeles, New York–JFK and San Francisco, New York-JFK and Santa Ana, Boston and Los Angeles, and Miami and Los Angeles, as well as on the standard domestic route between New York-JFK and Boston. The airline will debut new Flagship Suite® premium seats and a revamped aircraft interior for its long-haul fleet with fresh deliveries of its Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, beginning in 2024.

Flagship Business

Flagship Business is American's international and transcontinental business class product. It is offered on all Boeing 777-200ERs, Boeing 777-300ERs, Boeing 787-8s, and Boeing 787-9s, as well as select Airbus A321s. All Flagship Business seats are fully lie-flat.

First class and main cabin seats on a Boeing 737 MAX 8

Domestic first class

First class is offered on all domestically configured aircraft. Seats range from 19–21 inches (48–53 cm) in width and have 37–42 inches (94–107 cm) of pitch. Dining options include complementary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on all flights as well as standard economy snack offerings, enhanced snack basket selections on flights over 500 miles (800 km), and meals on flights 900 miles (1,400 km) or longer.

Premium Economy

Premium Economy is American's economy plus product. It is offered on all widebody aircraft. The cabin debuted on the airline's Boeing 787-9s in late 2016 and is also available on Boeing 777-200s and -300s, and Boeing 787-8s. Premium Economy seats are wider than seats in the main cabin (American's economy cabin) and provide more amenities: Premium Economy customers get two free checked bags, priority boarding, and enhanced food and drink service including free alcohol. This product made American Airlines the first U.S. carrier to offer a four-cabin aircraft. Main Cabin Extra

Main Cabin Extra is American's enhanced economy product. It is available on all of the mainline fleet and American Eagle aircraft. Main Cabin Extra seats include greater pitch than is available in main cabin, along with free alcoholic beverages and boarding one group ahead of main cabin. American retained Main Cabin Extra when the new Premium Economy product entered service in late 2016.

Main Cabin

Main Cabin (economy class) is American's economy product and is found on all mainline and regional aircraft in its fleet. Seats range from 17–18.5 inches (43–47 cm) in width and have 30–32 inches (76–81 cm) of pitch. American markets a number of rows within the main cabin immediately behind Main Cabin Extra as "Main Cabin Preferred", which require an extra charge to select for those without status.

American Airlines marketed increased legroom in economy class as "More Room Throughout Coach", also referred to as "MRTC", starting in February 2000. Two rows of economy class seats were removed on domestic narrowbody aircraft, resulting in more than half of all standard economy seats having a pitch of 34 inches (86 cm) or more. Amid financial losses, this scheme was discontinued in 2004.

On many routes, American also offers Basic Economy, the airline's lowest main cabin fare. Basic Economy consists of a Main Cabin ticket with numerous restrictions including waiting until check-in for a seat assignment, no upgrades or refunds, and boarding in the last group. Originally Basic Economy passengers could only carry a personal item, but American later revised their Basic Economy policies to allow for a carry-on bag.

In May 2017, American announced it would be adding more seats to some of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets and reducing overall legroom in the basic economy class. The last three rows were to lose 2 inches (5.1 cm), going from the current 31 inches (79 cm) to 29 inches (74 cm). The remainder of the main cabin was to have 30 inches (76 cm) of legroom. This "Project Oasis" seating configuration has since been expanded to all 737 MAX 8s as well as standard Boeing 737-800 and non-transcontinental Airbus A321 jets. New Airbus A321neo jets have been delivered with the same configuration.

Reward programs

AAdvantage

AAdvantage is the frequent flyer program for American Airlines. It was launched on May 1, 1981, and it remains the largest frequent flyer program with over 67 million members as of 2011. Miles accumulated in the program allow members to redeem tickets, upgrade service class, or obtain free or discounted car rentals, hotel stays, merchandise, or other products and services through partners. The most active members, based on the amount and price of travel booked, are designated AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, and AAdvantage Executive Platinum elite members, with privileges such as separate check-in, priority upgrade, and standby processing, or free upgrades. They also receive similar privileges from AA's partner airlines, particularly those in oneworld.

AAdvantage co-branded credit cards are also available and offer other benefits. The cards are issued by CitiCards, a subsidiary of Citigroup, and Barclaycard in the United States, by several banks including Butterfield Bank and Scotiabank in the Caribbean, and by Banco Santander in Brazil.

AAdvantage allows one-way redemption, starting at 7,500 miles.

Admirals Club

The Admirals Club was conceived by AA president C.R. Smith as a marketing promotion shortly after he was made an honorary Texas Ranger. Inspired by the Kentucky colonels and other honorary title designations, Smith decided to make particularly valued passengers "admirals" of the "Flagship fleet" (AA called its aircraft "Flagships" at the time). The list of admirals included many celebrities, politicians, and other VIPs, as well as more "ordinary" customers who had been particularly loyal to the airline.

There was no physical Admirals Club until shortly after the opening of LaGuardia Airport. During the airport's construction, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia had an upper-level lounge set aside for press conferences and business meetings. At one such press conference, he noted that the entire terminal was being offered for lease to airline tenants; after a reporter asked whether the lounge would be leased as well, LaGuardia replied that it would, and a vice president of AA immediately offered to lease the premises. The airline then procured a liquor license and began operating the lounge as the "Admirals Club" in 1939.

The second Admirals Club opened at Washington National Airport. Because it was illegal to sell alcohol in Virginia at the time, the club contained refrigerators for the use of its members, so they could store their liquor at the airport.[citation needed] For many years, membership in the Admirals Club (and most other airline lounges) was by the airline's invitation. After a passenger sued for discrimination, the club switched to a paid membership program in 1974.

Flagship Lounge

Though affiliated with the Admirals Club and staffed by many of the same employees, the Flagship Lounge is a separate lounge specifically designed for customers flying in first class and business class on international flights and transcontinental domestic flights, as well as AAdvantage Concierge Key, Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum, as well as Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire frequent flyers. As of May 2019, Flagship Lounges are located at five airports: New York–JFK, Chicago-O'Hare, Miami International, Los Angeles, and Dallas/Fort Worth. Flagship Lounges are planned for London-Heathrow and Philadelphia.

Destinations and hubs

Charlotte ... American's hub for the southeastern United States and secondary Caribbean gateway. Its operations in Concourse E are the largest regional flight operation in the world. American has about 91% of the market share at CLT, making it the largest carrier at the airport. Former US Airways hub.
Chicago–O'Hare...American's hub for the Midwest. American has about 35% of the market share at O'Hare, making it the airport's second largest airline after United.
Dallas/Fort Worth...American's hub for the southern United States and largest hub overall. American currently has about 87% of the market share at DFW, making it the largest carrier at the airport. American's corporate headquarters are also in Fort Worth near the airport. DFW serves as American's primary gateway to Mexico, and secondary gateway to Latin America.
Los Angeles...American's hub for the West Coast and transpacific gateway.
Miami...American's primary Latin American and Caribbean hub. American has about 68% of the market share at Miami International, making it the largest airline at the airport.
New York–JFK...American's secondary transatlantic and South American hub. Mostly serves destinations with a lot of business traffic. American has about 12% of the market share at JFK, making it the third largest carrier at the airport behind Delta and JetBlue
New York–LaGuardia...American's second New York hub. The airport also serves as a base for American Airlines Shuttle. American has about 27% of the market share at LGA, and is the second-largest carrier behind Delta.
Philadelphia...American's primary Northeast domestic hub and primary transatlantic hub, primarily for leisure destinations. American has about 70% of the market share at PHL, making it the airport's largest airline. Former US Airways hub.
Phoenix–Sky Harbor...American's Rocky Mountain hub. Currently American has about 33% of the market share at PHX, making it the airport's second-largest airline. Former US Airways hub.
Washington–Reagan...American's hub for the capital of the United States. The airport also serves as a base for American Airlines Shuttle. American has about 49% of the market share at DCA, making it the largest carrier at the airport.



List of American Airlines destinations

Antigua and Barbuda St. John's V. C. Bird International Airport
Argentina Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Córdoba Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport Terminated
Aruba Oranjestad Queen Beatrix International Airport
Australia Sydney Sydney Airport
Bahamas Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport
Freeport Freeport International Airport
Barbados Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport
Belgium Brussels Brussels Airport Terminated
Belize Belize City Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport
Bermuda Hamilton L.F. Wade International Airport
Bolivia La Paz El Alto International Airport Terminated
Santa Cruz de la Sierra Viru Viru International Airport Terminated
Bonaire Kralendijk Flamingo International Airport
Brazil Belo Horizonte Tancredo Neves International Airport Terminated
Brasília Brasília International Airport Terminated
Campinas Viracopos International Airport Terminated
Curitiba Afonso Pena International Airport Terminated
Fortaleza Pinto Martins International Airport Terminated
Manaus Eduardo Gomes International Airport Terminated
Porto Alegre Salgado Filho International Airport Terminated
Recife Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport Terminated
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport Salvador da Bahia Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport Terminated
São Paulo São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport
Canada Calgary Calgary International Airport
Montreal Montréal–Trudeau International Airport
Toronto Toronto Pearson International Airport
Vancouver Vancouver International Airport
Cayman Islands George Town Owen Roberts International Airport
Chile Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
China Beijing Beijing Capital International Airport Terminated
Beijing Daxing International Airport
Shanghai Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Colombia Barranquilla Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport
Bogotá El Dorado International Airport
Cali Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport
Cartagena Rafael Núñez International Airport
Medellín José María Córdova International Airport
Pereira Matecaña International Airport
Costa Rica Liberia Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport
San José Juan Santamaría International Airport
Croatia Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Airport Terminated
Cuba Camagüey Ignacio Agramonte International Airport
Havana José Martí International Airport
Holguín Frank País Airport
Santa Clara Abel Santamaría Airport
Santiago de Cuba Antonio Maceo Airport
Varadero Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport
Curaçao Willemstad Curaçao International Airport
Czech Republic Prague Václav Havel Airport Prague Terminated
Dominican Republic La Romana La Romana International Airport Terminated
Puerto Plata Gregorio Luperón International Airport
Punta Cana Punta Cana International Airport
Santiago de los Caballeros Cibao International Airport
Santo Domingo Las Américas International Airport
Ecuador Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport
Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport
El Salvador San Salvador El Salvador International Airport
Finland Helsinki Helsinki Airport Terminated
France Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Orly Airport Terminated
Germany Berlin Berlin Tegel Airport Airport closed
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Airport Terminated
Frankfurt Frankfurt Airport
Munich Munich Airport
Greece Athens Athens International Airport Seasonal
Grenada St. George's Maurice Bishop International Airport
Guadeloupe Pointe-à-Pitre Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport Terminated
Guatemala Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport
Guyana Georgetown Cheddi Jagan International Airport
Haiti Cap-Haïtien Hugo Chávez International Airport
Port-au-Prince Toussaint Louverture International Airport
Honduras Roatán Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport
San Pedro Sula La Mesa International Airport
Tegucigalpa Comayagua International Airport
Hungary Budapest Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport Terminated
Iceland Reykjavík Keflavík International Airport Terminated
India Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
Ireland Dublin Dublin Airport
Shannon Shannon Airport Terminated
Israel Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport
Italy Bologna Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport Terminated
Milan Milan Malpensa Airport
Rome Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
Venice Venice Marco Polo Airport Seasonal
Jamaica Kingston Norman Manley International Airport
Montego Bay Sangster International Airport
Japan Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminated
Nagoya Komaki Airport Terminated
Osaka Kansai International Airport Terminated
Tokyo Haneda Airport
Narita International Airport
Martinique Fort-de-France Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport Terminated
Mexico Cancún Cancún International Airport
Cozumel Cozumel International Airport
Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport
Mexico City Mexico City International Airport
Morelia General Francisco Mujica International Airport
León Bajío International Airport
Oaxaca Oaxaca International Airport
Puebla Puebla International Airport Terminated
Puerto Vallarta Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport
San José del Cabo Los Cabos International Airport
Zihuatanejo Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport Seasonal
Netherlands Amsterdam Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
New Zealand Auckland Auckland Airport Seasonal
Christchurch Christchurch Airport
Nicaragua Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport
Panama Panama City Tocumen International Airport
Paraguay Asunción Silvio Pettirossi International Airport Terminated
Peru Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport
Cuzco Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport Terminated
Portugal Lisbon Lisbon Airport Seasonal
Qatar Doha Hamad International Airport
Russia Moscow Domodedovo International Airport Terminated
Saint Kitts and Nevis Basseterre Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport
Saint Lucia Vieux Fort Hewanorra International Airport
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Kingstown Argyle International Airport
Sint Maarten Philipsburg Princess Juliana International Airport
South Korea Seoul Incheon International Airport
Spain Barcelona Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport
Madrid Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport
Sweden Stockholm Stockholm Arlanda Airport Terminated
Switzerland Zürich Zurich Airport
Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain Piarco International Airport
Turks and Caicos Islands Providenciales Providenciales International Airport
United Kingdom Birmingham Birmingham Airport Terminated
Edinburgh Edinburgh Airport Terminated
Glasgow Glasgow Airport Terminated
London Gatwick Airport Terminated
Heathrow Airport
London Stansted Airport Terminated
Manchester Manchester Airport Terminated
United States (Alabama) Birmingham, AL Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport
Huntsville Huntsville International Airport
Mobile Mobile Regional Airport
Montgomery Montgomery Regional Airport
United States (Alaska) Anchorage Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Seasonal
Fairbanks Fairbanks International Airport Seasonal
United States (Arizona) Phoenix Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Hub
Tucson Tucson International Airport
Yuma Yuma International Airport
United States (Arkansas) Bentonville Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport
United States (California) Burbank Hollywood Burbank Airport
Fresno Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Los Angeles Los Angeles International Airport Hub
Oakland Oakland International Airport Terminated
Ontario Ontario International Airport
Palm Springs Palm Springs International Airport
Sacramento Sacramento International Airport
San Diego San Diego International Airport
San Francisco San Francisco International Airport
San Jose, CA San Jose International Airport
Santa Ana John Wayne Airport
Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
United States (Colorado) Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Airport
Denver Denver International Airport
Stapleton International Airport Airport closed
Hayden Yampa Valley Airport Seasonal
Montrose Montrose Regional Airport Seasonal
Vail Eagle County Regional Airport Seasonal
United States (Connecticut) Hartford Bradley International Airport
United States (District of Columbia) Washington, D.C. Washington Dulles International Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Hub
United States (Florida) Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport
Fort Myers Southwest Florida International Airport
Jacksonville Jacksonville International Airport
Miami Miami International Airport Hub
Orlando Orlando International Airport
Sarasota Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
Pensacola Pensacola International Airport
Tampa Tampa International Airport
West Palm Beach Palm Beach International Airport
United States (Georgia) Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
United States (Hawaii) Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
Kahului Kahului Airport
Kailua-Kona Kona International Airport
Lihue Lihue Airport
United States (Idaho) Boise Boise Airport
United States (Illinois) Chicago O'Hare International Airport Hub
United States (Indiana) Indianapolis Indianapolis International Airport
United States (Iowa) Des Moines Des Moines International Airport
United States (Kansas) Wichita Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport
United States (Kentucky) Louisville Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
United States (Louisiana) Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport
New Orleans Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
United States (Maine) Portland, ME Portland International Jetport
United States (Maryland) Baltimore Baltimore–Washington International Airport
United States (Massachusetts) Boston Logan International Airport
Worcester Worcester Regional Airport
United States (Michigan) Detroit Detroit Metropolitan Airport
United States (Minnesota) Minneapolis Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport
United States (Mississippi) Jackson, Mississippi Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
Gulfport, Mississippi Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport
United States (Missouri) Kansas City Kansas City International Airport
St. Louis St. Louis Lambert International Airport
United States (Montana) Bozeman Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport Seasonal
Missoula Missoula International Airport
United States (Nebraska) Omaha Eppley Airfield
United States (Nevada) Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport
Reno Reno–Tahoe International Airport
United States (New Hampshire) Manchester, NH Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
United States (New Jersey) Newark Newark Liberty International Airport
United States (New Mexico) Albuquerque Albuquerque International Sunport
Santa Fe Santa Fe Municipal Airport
United States (New York) Albany, NY Albany International Airport
Buffalo Buffalo Niagara International Airport
New York City John F. Kennedy International Airport Hub
LaGuardia Airport Hub
Rochester, NY Greater Rochester International Airport
Syracuse Syracuse Hancock International Airport
United States (North Carolina) Charlotte Charlotte Douglas International Airport Hub
Greensboro Piedmont Triad International Airport
Raleigh Raleigh–Durham International Airport
Wilmington Wilmington International Airport
United States (North Dakota) Bismarck Bismarck Municipal Airport
Fargo Hector International Airport
United States (Ohio) Akron Akron–Canton Regional Airport
Cincinnati/Covington Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Cleveland Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Columbus John Glenn Columbus International Airport
Dayton Dayton International Airport
Toledo Toledo Express Airport
United States (Oklahoma) Oklahoma City Will Rogers World Airport
Tulsa Tulsa International Airport
United States (Oregon) Portland, OR Portland International Airport
Redmond Redmond Municipal Airport
United States (Pennsylvania) Harrisburg Harrisburg International Airport
Philadelphia Philadelphia International Airport Hub
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh International Airport
United States (Puerto Rico) Aguadilla Rafael Hernández Airport Terminated
Ponce Mercedita Airport Terminated
San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
United States (Rhode Island) Providence T. F. Green Airport
United States (South Carolina) Charleston Charleston International Airport
United States (Tennessee) Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport
Memphis Memphis International Airport
Nashville Nashville International Airport
United States (Texas) Austin Austin–Bergstrom International Airport
Dallas Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Hub
El Paso El Paso International Airport
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport
San Antonio San Antonio International Airport
United States (U.S. Virgin Islands) Saint Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport
Saint Thomas Cyril E. King Airport
United States (Utah) Salt Lake City Salt Lake City International Airport
United States (Virginia) Norfolk Norfolk International Airport
Richmond Richmond International Airport
United States (Washington) Seattle Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Spokane Spokane International Airport
United States (Wisconsin) Milwaukee Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
United States (Wyoming) Jackson Jackson Hole Airport Seasonal