Quantcast

American Airlines plans retirement of flagship first class service

Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 22, 2025)
First new Qantas Airbus jets come with one toilet for every 90 economy passengers – worse than Jetstar, Scoot and Ryanair
Breeze Airways becomes the first new US flag carrier in a decade — just as rival Spirit fights its 2nd bankruptcy
Airport runway close calls spur hopes for wider adoption of cockpit alert technology
Family sues American Airlines over deadly crash near National Airport
United Airlines briefly grounds all flights in US, Canada for second time in 2 months
2025 Air Canada flight attendants strike
Spirit Airlines preparing to furlough one-third of its flight attendants
‘Hypocrisy’ and ‘blackmail’: Ryanair’s feud with Spain
Exclusive: Turkey's surprise Air Europa deal came down to one key thing: control
Major airline launches exciting new route from Scotland to popular US location
Airlines fear carbon tax as flagship climate scheme develops holes
Ryanair scraps three Vienna routes, demands lower taxes and fees
Turkish Airlines has no intention of raising stake in Spain's Air Europa, chairman says
US lawmakers want Trump to reinstate delay compensation plan for air travelers
IATA pushes to raise international pilot retirement age to 67
US orders Delta and Aeromexico to dissolve their partnership over fairness concerns in Mexico
Southwest’s New Wheelchair Policy Will Require Passengers to Remove 1 Item Before Boarding — What to Know
Aviation expansion: IndiGo to start direct Mumbai-Copenhagen flights from Oct 8; marks entry into Nordics - The Times of India
Major change for ALL Aer Lingus passengers flying from busy airport to offer 'modern and streamlined' experience
Southwest Airlines adds Sonoma County in California expansion - The Points Guy
Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 8, 2025)
Delta Sees Record Premium Seats in '26, Main Cabin Flat or Down
Southwest requiring removal of batteries from mobility devices before boarding
Qantas’ milestone move for huge, new planes
EasyJet to launch 11 new flight routes from small UK airport named the best in Europe
Tycoon unveils £25 billion rival Heathrow expansion plan
Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
50 New Routes Launching In September 2025
JetBlue's Network Shake-Up: Its Top 10 Routes This Month
American Airlines plans retirement of flagship first class service
Research
Webp lk1q2v4amkahy6gduonct8i4vs1m
Erica Silverstein Managing editor | The Points Guy

American Airlines is preparing to retire its Flagship First class, the last international first-class product offered by a U.S. carrier. This change will see the end of a service that has been available since the early 2010s. The airline's Airbus A321T planes, which previously featured first-class cabins, have already been retrofitted into more standard configurations.

For now, passengers can still experience Flagship First on American's Airbus A321T and Boeing 777-300ER jets. These aircraft also offer Flagship Business class, with notable differences between the two cabins.

American Airlines is transitioning away from first-class cabins in favor of enhanced business class offerings across its fleet. "We are enhancing the customer experience across their entire journey with American," said Julie Rath, Vice President of Customer Experience at American Airlines. The overhaul is driven by customer demand for a more premium experience.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will be reconfigured to include 70 Flagship Suite business-class seats and 44 premium economy seats. The timeline for retiring first-class cabins has been delayed beyond the original target of late 2024.

Newly delivered Boeing 787-9s will feature a new business-class cabin, and eventually, three-class 777-300ERs will be updated with these new designs. Despite delays in production, these changes are expected to provide a more private premium experience on long-haul flights.

The transcontinental A321Ts will be replaced by Airbus A321XLRs featuring a new business-class cabin but no true first class. These changes align with American's strategy to enhance its premium offerings without maintaining traditional first-class services.

Currently, travelers can still book Flagship First on select routes including New York to Rome and Los Angeles to Sydney among others. However, the future of this service remains uncertain as American continues its fleet modernization efforts.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Dnata, a global provider of air and travel services, has entered into a joint venture with Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Group to launch ground handling and cargo operations at Alat International Airport, located in the Alat Free Economic Zone in Baku.

Oct 22, 2025

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a former employee of dnata Airport Services was unfairly dismissed and awarded $36,468.39 in compensation.

Oct 22, 2025

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has announced the closure of Terminal 5 to allow for a significant redevelopment.

Oct 22, 2025

The SFO Facility recently hosted a Breast Cancer Awareness Day, which was deemed a success by organizers.

Oct 22, 2025

Flying Food Group, Inc. recently held an appreciation event at its SFW facility to honor its employees.

Oct 22, 2025

Flying Food Group has announced that it contributes all of its taxable income annually to the Chicago-based Sue L. Gin Foundation Trust, which supports healthcare, education, legal aid, and immigration rights.

Oct 21, 2025