Whereas some airways like Air France have just lately doubled down on their first-class cabin providing, others are taking a barely totally different strategy by investing extra closely in enterprise class. And within the enterprise class, a number of carriers have spent the previous few years quietly racing to one-up one another by putting in extra comfy lie-flat beds, swapping polyester seat materials for higher-quality leather-based and wool blends, and providing the whole lot from caviar service to premium wines. Now, American Airways is entering into the ring with a brand new suite design that ditches the outdated first-class cabin fully and reimagines enterprise class as one thing sleeker and extra personal than its predecessor.
The service just lately unveiled its long-awaited Flagship Suites, slated to formally debut on June 5 on flights from Chicago O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to London’s Heathrow Worldwide Airport (LHR) on American Airways’s new Boeing 787-9 plane. It marks the start of American Airways’s shift away from top quality and towards a extra elevated business-class providing. Going ahead, no new planes could have first-class seats, and current planes providing that cabin will finally be retrofitted to as a substitute characteristic the improved business-class seats which are virtually a hybrid of the 2 fare courses.
American first shared particulars of the brand new design in October 2022, when it introduced that it might be discontinuing first-class seats on worldwide flights and changing them with extra business-class seats.
“The primary class is not going to exist . . . at American Airways for the straightforward cause that our clients aren’t shopping for it,” American’s chief industrial officer, Vasu Raja, mentioned when the announcement was first made.
He added that “the standard of the business-class seat has improved a lot. And albeit, by eradicating [first class] we will present extra business-class seats, which is what our clients most need or are most prepared to pay for.”
The newly reimagined Flagship Suite seats which are changing the first-class seats had been initially anticipated to be within the air by 2024. Nevertheless, provider delays bumped the beginning date to this 12 months.
Now, they’re lastly prepared for showtime. Right here’s what you might want to learn about American Airways’s new Flagship Suites (and the place to search out them).
Seat designs and facilities
The brand new business-class cabin options 51 pods organized in a one-two-one structure. A retractable privateness divider could be prolonged between the 2 heart seats. It’s value mentioning that every one seats face away from the aisle, so whereas these touring collectively can depart the middle divider open, their heads will likely be in reverse corners, making it more durable to spend time collectively midflight (although they are going to be considerably dealing with in towards one another).
Every pod is supplied with a totally closing privateness door, a seat that converts right into a 79-inch-long mattress, a 17.5-inch 4K TV, a number of storage areas, particular person studying lights, and separate trays for cocktails and meals.
The bulkhead seats will likely be bought as Flagship Most popular Suites and could have further room (19 % extra mattress house and 42 % extra residing space house, per the airline) and extra storage areas. They’re additional delineated with blue faux-wood doorways and dark-gray interiors, versus the tan doorways and white interiors of the remainder of the cabin.
All the airplane will provide Bluetooth connectivity and common AC retailers, in addition to USB-A and USB-C retailers at every seat. Passengers within the Flagship business-class cabin could have a wi-fi charging pad. The brand new planes are additionally geared up with satellite-based Viasat Wi-Fi, which will likely be accessible all through the whole plane and is anticipated to be free for all AAdvantage members in early 2026.
When fliers with Flagship Suite seats are able to sleep, they are going to be given a cover, a dual-sided pillow (one facet with cool-touch material and the opposite with conventional material), and Nest Bedding–branded slippers, comparable in look to what has historically been accessible to first-class passengers. Flagship Most popular Suite seats will even rating a Nest Bedding mattress pad, pajamas, and a throw blanket. Each will even obtain an amenity package from 13 Lune by Joanna Vargas and Bang & Olufsen noise-canceling headphones to make use of in-flight.
The airline has not but shared information about what clients can anticipate for meal providers on these flights.
Premium financial system and financial system are additionally getting a glow-up with the brand new planes.
The premium financial system cabin will include 35 seats organized in a two-three-two structure. The recliner-style seats will characteristic winged headrests for a little bit of added privateness, 13-inch 4K TVs, a common AC outlet, USB-C and USB-A retailers, and a phone-size wi-fi charging pad (situated on a shelf below the TV). The financial system cabin will maintain 143 seats in a three-three-three configuration. The seats could have 11.5-inch 4K TVs, a common AC outlet, and USB-C and USB-A ports.
Forthcoming routes
Along with the Chicago–London flight, the brand new Flagship Suites will seem on different routes later within the 12 months, together with:
- Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) to LHR beginning August 6
- PHL to Zurich Switzerland’s Zurich Airport (ZRH) beginning September 3
- Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW) to Australia’s Brisbane Airport (BNE) on October 26
The Flagship Suites are being put in on all newly delivered Boeing 787-9s and new Airbus A321XLRs and will likely be retrofitted into current 777-300ERs, with full fleet deployment anticipated by 2027. At present, the 777-300ERs have 8 Flagship First and 52 Flagship Enterprise seats; as soon as overhauled, they may have 70 of the brand new Flagship Enterprise Suites.