Airlines Confidential · Wednesday, August 26, 2026
American Airlines announced plans to increase the number of premium seats and add seatback entertainment screens to most of its narrow-body domestic fleet. This move aims to bring American's premium seat percentage in line with competitors and is expected to be completed by the early 2030s.
“American announced on Tuesday, it'll be adding extra legroom seats, more first class seats, and drum roll please, seat back entertainment screens to most of its narrow body domestic fleet.”
“Premium seats will grow from 25% of the narrow body cabin today at American to 40% putting American in line with competitors.”
“It will take until the early 2030s to transform most of the fleet, and that, Christina, is my big worry about all this. It's too slow.”