American Airlines has placed a firm order for 85 Airbus A321neo, 85 Boeing 737 MAX 10, and 90 Embraer E175 aircraft. This order also includes options for 193 additional aircraft, aiming to enhance their domestic, short-haul international routes, and offer more premium seats.
Boeing has clarified that the new order is for 85 B737 MAX 10 jets and a conversion of a previous order for 30 of the smaller MAX 8 variant brings the firm order to 115 MAX 10 jets. The agreement also includes options to purchase 75 additional MAX 10 jets in the future.
“We deeply appreciate American Airlines’ trust in Boeing and its confidence in the 737 MAX family. 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 and supporting American’s strategic growth with one of the industry’s largest and most modern fleets,”
Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Moreover, American Airlines ordered an additional 85 A321neo aircraft, taking its total order for the aircraft type to 219 aircraft.
American took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo in February 2019, and 70 have been delivered as of January 31, 2024. The airline is the world’s largest operator of A320 Family aircraft, the world’s largest A321 operator (CEO and NEO), and the largest customer for the A321neo in North America.
Narrowbody Fleet Growth
Since 2014, American has taken delivery of more than 600 mainline and regional aircraft. Following this order, American has 440 aircraft on order, extending its aircraft order book into the next decade.
To cater to the growing demand for premium travel, American will also retrofit its A319 and A320 aircraft, adding more premium seats and upgrading amenities. This initiative aligns with the airline’s goal of increasing premium seating by over 20% by 2026.
“Over the past decade, we have invested heavily to modernize and simplify our fleet, which is the largest and youngest among U.S. network carriers. 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 for our customers,”
American’s CEO Robert Isom
“We are very pleased to continue our longstanding partnerships with Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer with these orders,” said American’s Chief Financial Officer Devon May. “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.”
Regional Fleet
In line with its long-term focus, American plans to retire its smaller regional jets and transition to larger, dual-class aircraft. The Embraer E175 will play a pivotal role in connecting smaller markets to American’s global network.
Dual-class regional jets with premium seating, high-speed satellite Wi-Fi, and in-seat power are expected to make up America’s entire regional fleet upon completion of the Embraer E175 deliveries. The new E175 aircraft will be operated by American’s wholly-owned regional carriers.
“The E175 is truly the backbone of the U.S. aviation network, connecting all corners of the country. One of the world’s most successful aircraft programs, the E175 was upgraded with a series of modifications that improved fuel burn by 6.5%. This represents American’s largest-ever single order of E175s, and we thank American for its continued trust in our products and people,”
Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation.
Feature Image via American Airlines