American Airlines to add economy class screens

Key Points:

• American Airlines will begin installing personal seatback entertainment screens in economy class on its narrowbody fleet starting in 2028, aiming to equip all 876 single-aisle aircraft by the early 2030s to match competitors like Delta and United.
• The airline's widebody planes and new Airbus A321XLRs already have seatback screens, but regional American Eagle aircraft will not receive this upgrade.
• This move follows recent enhancements including ultra-fast Starlink inflight connectivity on 500 planes, added first-class seats on Airbus A319s and A320s, and renovations of Admirals Clubs to attract premium customers.
• American is also increasing premium seating on narrowbody aircraft, targeting about 40% of seats as premium (first class and extra-legroom economy), up from roughly 25% today, with more first-class seats planned on new Boeing 737 MAX 10s arriving in 2029.
• The decision reverses a previous stance from the US Airways merger era when screens were deemed unnecessary due to passengers using personal devices, reflecting a broader industry shift toward enhanced onboard amenities.