American Airlines Orders 260 Narrow-Body Aircraft

American Airlines announced today, March 4, that it has ordered a whopping 260 single-aisle aircraft, encompassing jets from Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer.

“Over the past decade, we have invested heavily to modernize and simplify our fleet, which is the largest and youngest among U.S. network carriers,” said American’s CEO Robert Isom. “These orders will continue to fuel our fleet with newer, more efficient aircraft so we can continue to deliver the best network and record-setting operational reliability for our customers.”

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about this blockbuster aircraft order!

American Orders More Aircraft From Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer

American Airlines has placed an order for 260 total narrow-body aircraft, with options for up to 193 more.

The order encompasses planes manufactured by Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer — here’s a look at how the deal breaks down specifically:

• 85 Airbus A321neos
• 85 Boeing 737 MAX 10s (AA has decided to convert 30 existing orders for MAX 8s to MAX 10s)
• 90 Embraer E175s

The airline says that this order is a strategic move to support the vision it has for its domestic and short-haul international networks and it will allow the carrier to offer more premium seats on its narrow-body and regional aircraft.

The Airbus A320 family has been a mainstay in American’s fleet for years and primarily serves domestic missions and shorter flights to international destinations. The order of 85 additional A321neos should allow the airline to stay on course with its plans for those 2 networks.

Meanwhile, the airline operates several Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, and the addition of the MAX 10 will allow it to offer more capacity on routes already served by the 737 family of aircraft. The MAX 10 is still awaiting certification from the FAA.

On the regional side of things, American remains committed to retiring all of the 50-seat regional aircraft with a single class of service in its fleet by the end of the decade. The 90 new Embraer E175s will allow the airline to provide a better product for customers in smaller markets who rely on these aircraft to connect them to the airline’s major hubs and global network. All of these aircraft will have 2 classes of service, in-seat power, and Wi-Fi service.

American has been in the middle of a fleet renewal project — since 2014, the airline says it has taken delivery of more than 600 aircraft, both mainline and regional. This order placed today means that the carrier currently has almost 450 aircraft on order.

Final Thoughts

American has placed a significant order for narrow-body aircraft from Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer. These single-aisle aircraft will primarily serve domestic flights, shorter international flights, and flights from smaller markets to the airline’s hubs across the country.

With 440 total aircraft waiting to be delivered to the airline, it’s well-positioned to maintain and grow its network as the demand for flights continues to increase in the coming years.