American Airlines boosts premium seating on 777 jets as upscale travel grows

American Airlines is expanding its premium seating options on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft used for long-haul flights as high-spending travelers become a priority for U.S. carriers. The retrofit will phase out first-class cabins while adding 144 premium seats, increasing the aircraft's capacity from 304 to 330 passengers. The new configuration will feature 70 Flagship Suite business-class seats with privacy doors, 44 Premium Economy seats, and 30 Main Cabin Extra seats, which is an extra-legroom economy product.

American plans to complete upgrades on all 20 of its 777-300ERs by 2027, with the first retrofitted aircraft set to begin commercial service from New York to Buenos Aires on September 3. The airline eliminated Flagship First, its top-tier international first-class cabin, as it failed to generate sufficient revenue and would now allocate those seats to more profitable business-class options.

Premium travelers generated nearly half of American's ticketed revenue in the second quarter, accounting for about 30% of its seats. By boosting premium seating, American aims to close the profitability gap with Delta and United Airlines. This move aligns with a broader trend among U.S. carriers, who are increasingly focusing on higher-end products as revenue from premium offerings grows faster than from more budget-conscious options.