American Airlines has today announced a landmark order for 260 single aisle aircraft, including 85 Boeing 737-10 MAX jets, 85 Airbus A321neos and 90 Embraer E175s.
On Monday (March 4, 2024), American Airlines announced a milestone order for 260 single aisle aircraft, including 85 Boeing 737-10 MAX jets, 85 Airbus A321neos, and 90 Embraer E175s, as well as purchase rights for up to 193 additional aircraft. This order complements the airline's existing order for Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A321XLRs. As part of the Boeing order, 30 existing 737-8 MAX orders have been upgraded to 737-10s. The new order will allow the carrier to upgauge aircraft on domestic and short-haul international routes, and to offer more premium seats that any other U.S. airline. American Airlines will also retrofit their existing fleet of Airbus A319s and A320s beginning 2025, with an increase in the number of domestic First Class seats on each aircraft.
In Monday’s announcement, American Airline’s CEO, Robert Isom, said,
“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. 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.”
American Airlines’ Chief Financial Officer, Devon May, added,
“We are very pleased to continue our longstanding partnerships with Airbus, Boeing and Embraer with these orders. As we look into the next decade, American will have a steady stream of new aircraft alongside a balanced level of capital investment, which will allow us to expand our network and deliver for our shareholders.”
American Airlines Places Landmark Order for 260 Single Aisle Jets - Courtesy American Airlines
American Airlines has taken delivery of over 600 mainline and regional aircraft since 2014. Including today’s order, the carrier currently has 440 aircraft on order, extending their aircraft order book into the next decade. As previously mentioned, the order for 90 Embraer E175s will allow the carrier to bring larger, dual-class regional aircraft into their fleet, and the company plans on retiring all 50-seat single-class regional jets by the end of the decade. American’s new E175s will feature premium seating, high-speed Wi-Fi, and in-seat power, and will make up the carrier’s entire regional fleet following all deliveries.
American Airlines Fleet Data - Courtesy American Airlines
Commenting on American’s E175 order today, Embraer Commercial Aviation’s CEO, Arjan Meijer, said,
“The E175 is truly the backbone of the U.S. aviation network, connecting all corners of the country. One of the world’s most successful aircraft programs, the E175 was upgraded with a series of modifications that improved fuel burn by 6.5%. This modern, comfortable, reliable and efficient aircraft continues to deliver the connectivity the U.S. depends on day after day. This represents American’s largest-ever single order of E175s, and we thank American for its continued trust in our products and people.”
In a separate press release today (March 4, 2024), Boeing announced that American’s new order for 85 737-10 MAX jets, plus 75 options, doubles the carrier’s MAX Family orderbook to over 150 jets. The new, larger Boeing 737-10s will complement American’s existing fleet of 737-8 MAX jets. The Boeing 737 MAX Family delivers improvements in fuel use, emissions and cost performance. The 737-8 can seat 162-210 passengers depending on configuration, and offers a range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,480 km), while the 737-10 can carry up to 230 passengers, and has a range of up to 3,100 nautical miles (5,740 km). With firm orders for over 150 Boeing 737 MAX Family jets and 25 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, American Airlines will add more than 180 Boeing airplanes to their fleet over the next decade.
In today’s announcement (March 4, 2024), Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ President and CEO, Stan Deal said,
“We deeply appreciate American Airlines' trust in Boeing and its confidence in the 737 MAX family. American's selection of the 737-10 will provide even greater efficiency, commonality and flexibility for its global network and operations. Our team here at Boeing is committed to delivering on this new order and supporting American's strategic growth with one of the industry’s largest and most modern fleets.”
In another press release from Airbus today, Airbus announced that American’s new order for 85 A321neos takes the carrier’s order for the type to 219 aircraft. American took delivery of their first A321neo in February 2019, and has since taken delivery of 70 of the type through January 2024. American is the world’s largest A321 operator (CEO and NEO) and the largest A321neo customer in North America.
In today’s order announcement, Airbus Commercial Aircraft’s EVP – Sales, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, said,
“The continued investment in the A321neo is a testament to the unprecedented value of the world’s most versatile and capable single aisle aircraft. 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.”
The largest member of the A320neo Family, the A321neo offers unparalleled range and performance. Combining new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo offers a 20 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, as well as a 50 percent smaller noise footprint compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft. To date, over 6,100 A321neos have been ordered by more than 90 customers worldwide.
Source(s): American Airlines, Boeing, Airbus