AA Finally Adding Seatback Screens to Most Narrow-Body Planes, Will Offer More Premium Seats

American Airlines has shared a fleet update that should please its flyers.

The carrier is launching an initiative to install seatback entertainment monitors across a majority of its narrow-body fleet, add more premium seats across the board, and give many of its jets new interiors with more storage, better lighting, and increased comfort.

Here’s what this means for travelers.

Seatback Entertainment Screens Coming to Most AA Narrow-Bodies

American Airlines has announced that it will equip all new Airbus and Boeing aircraft being delivered in 2028 and beyond with “state-of-the-art” inflight entertainment monitors at every seat, as well as retrofitted aircraft.

Once these new aircraft begin to arrive in the fleet, passengers can expect them to offer the following features:

• Large 4K monitors that are “among the largest displays offered on narrow-body aircraft in North America”
• Bluetooth connectivity
• USB-C charging capabilities
• A wider variety of content and new partnerships to bring new kinds of entertainment to flyers
• A more personalized experience that can suggest recommended content for each flyer

The carrier says it intends to “roll out the new displays as quickly as possible,” though the project won’t be complete until “early next decade,” according to an AA press release.

More Premium Seats Are Coming

In addition to the seatback-screen rollout, AA will increase the number of premium seats across its narrow-body fleet through retrofit programs and new aircraft that will be delivered with a higher percentage of first class and Main Cabin Extra seats.

Here’s a look at some of the specifics:

• American is actively retrofitting its Airbus A319 and A320 fleets to add another row of first class seats.
• The carrier’s existing fleet of Airbus A321neos will soon be reconfigured to include more first class seats.
• The upcoming Boeing 737 MAX 10s will be delivered with 24 first class seats on board each jet.
• A majority of the narrow-body fleet will be reftrofitted with more Main Cabin Extra seats.

As these retrofit programs are completed, the airline will equip each refreshed aircraft with additional storage and improved lighting, adding to passenger comfort.

The airline says that today about 25% of seats on narrow-body aircraft are classified as premium, but when these projects are finished, that figure will rise to around 40%.

All of these changes coincide with a wider effort on American’s part to improve the passenger experience across the board. It recently announced it would install high-speed Starlink inflight Wi-Fi on narrow-body planes starting next year; it’s investing heavily in its network of Admirals Clubs and Flagship Lounges to introduce new and totally overhauled spaces and elevated food-and-beverage offerings; and it’s introduced new choices on board such as Bollinger Champagne and Lavazza coffee.

Final Thoughts

It’s been a long time coming, but American is finally making moves that flyers want to see by adding seatback monitors across the vast majority of its narrow-body fleet and equipping these planes with more premium seats.

The carrier (in)famously decided years ago to remove screens from its narrow-body fleet, a move that never sat well with flyers. While it will be some time before we see this decision pay off, it’s the right one and shows that AA is serious about better competing with its domestic rivals Delta and United.