American Airlines places major narrowbody orders
American Airlines has placed major narrowbody orders with Airbus, Boeing and Embraer as it grows and renews its fleet.
The carrier has signed a firm order for an additional 85…
American Airlines has placed major narrowbody orders with Airbus, Boeing and Embraer as it grows and renews its fleet.
The carrier has signed a firm order for an additional 85 A321neo aircraft, taking its total order for the aircraft type to 219 aircraft.
“Over the past decade, we have invested heavily to modernise 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.”
“The continued investment in the A321neo is a testament to the unprecedented value of the world’s most versatile and capable single aisle aircraft,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft, Airbus.
“For nearly two decades, American Airlines has used its A320 Family of aircraft, some of which have been produced in the U.S. in Mobile, Alabama, to grow its domestic and short-haul international network and provide an exceptional experience for its passengers and crews.”
American Airlines took delivery of its first A321neo in February 2019, and 70 have been delivered as of January 31, 2024. The airline is the world’s largest operator of A320 Family aircraft, the world’s largest A321 operator (CEO and NEO) and the largest customer for the A321neo in North America.
Separately, Boeing and American Airlines announced the first order for the largest 737 MAX plane. American is committing to 115 of the 737-10 model, which includes a new order for 85 jets and a conversion of a previous order for 30 of the smaller 737-8 variant.
The airline is also announcing options to purchase 75 additional 737-10 jets in the future.
With this agreement, American will more than double its 737 MAX order book from about 70 airplanes to more than 150, supporting the airline’s long-term growth strategy with highly efficient jets for its domestic and short-haul international network.
The 737-10 will complement American’s current fleet of 737-8 planes, allowing the airline to tap into the 737 MAX family’s commonality and flexibility to efficiently meet growing travel demand.
Embraer has also secured a major order for 133 aircraft from American to meet domestic demand in the United States.
American has placed a firm order with Embraer for 90 E175s, with purchase rights for 43 additional jets.
The aircraft will be delivered with 76 seats in American’s standard dual-class configuration. The deal, with all purchase rights exercised, is worth more than US$7bn at list price, and the firm orders will be included in Embraer’s 1Q24 backlog.
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