American Airlines accelerates retirement plan for aging Airbus A320 fleet

American’s decision to phase out its aging A320ceo jets aligns with a broader industry trend toward newer, more fuel-efficient planes that offer greater capacity and lower operating costs. The larger Airbus A321neo can seat up to about 40 more passengers than the outgoing A320s. The airline also relies heavily on Boeing narrowbody aircraft: it operates over 300 Boeing 737-800s and has taken delivery of most of its ordered Boeing 737 MAX 8s, with additional MAX models on order.

This move is not unprecedented for American Airlines. In previous years, it retired entire fleets such as the Airbus A300B4-600R by replacing them with newer types like the Boeing 757-200 or Boeing 767-300ER. Similarly, former US Airways Airbus A330s were phased out following reduced demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced by Boeing’s Dreamliner series.

The retirement process for American’s current batch of A320ceos will begin this year. Four aircraft—N647AW, N649AW, N650AW, and N651AW—are scheduled to leave service between October and December after serving more than 27 years each since their original delivery to America West Airlines. Additional retirements are expected through July 2029.

Meanwhile, six younger A320ceos remain active; one (N127UW) is undergoing maintenance but is expected to return to service soon.

Airbus launched its popular single-aisle jet family in March 1984. The original A320 entered commercial service in 1988 and was followed by stretched (A321), shortened (A319), and smallest (A318) variants over subsequent years. The introduction of the updated “neo” versions brought improved fuel efficiency due to new engines and aerodynamic enhancements.

American Airlines continues to operate a diverse fleet that includes various models from both Airbus and Boeing across domestic short-haul and international long-haul networks.