American Airlines Selects CFM International Engines to Power Future Deliveries of Airbus A321neos
- Joe Breitfeller
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
American Airlines has announced that they have chosen CFM International LEAP-1A engines to power the Airbus A321neo aircraft ordered in March 2024. CFM will continue to provide long-term maintenance for American’s LEAP-1A fleet.
On Thursday (February 19, 2026), American Airlines announced that future deliveries of Airbus A321neos will continue to be powered by the CFM LEAP-1A engine from CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. These engines will be installed on the Airbus A321neos that American ordered in March 2024. As part of the expanded partnership, CFM International will continue to provide long-term maintenance for American’s CFM LEAP-1A engines for years to come.
In Thursday’s announcement, American Airlines; CEO, Robert Isom, said,
“American is proud to operate more CFM/GE Aerospace-powered mainline and regional aircraft than any other airline in the world, and American’s aircraft have flown with GE Aerospace technology for almost a century. We are excited that CFM LEAP engines will power our next phase of A321neo deliveries, maximizing the power of our fleet investments to deliver the best network to our customers utilizing the best-performing engine in the business.”
Also commenting on the LEAP-1A engine order, GE Aerospace’s Chairman and CEO, H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., said,
“We are proud to be under wing powering American’s modernized fleet, and appreciate their continued trust. We are committed to delivering best-in-class LEAP engines to support the growth of American’s network as they serve more destinations for their customers.”
American Airlines has the youngest fleet of the U.S. legacy carriers, with 84 A321neos and five A321XLRs, and an additional 120 A321neos and 35 A321XLRs on order through 2032, all to be powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines. The airline also has options to purchase 116 additional Airbus A320 Family aircraft which, if exercised, will also be outfitted with CFM LEAP-1A engines. American first selected the CFM LEAP-1B engine in 2011 when they ordered 100 Boeing 737 MAX Family jets. The carrier currently has 93 Boeing 737 MAX Airplanes in operation with an additional 125 on order. The company's relationship wit CFM expanded three years later when American chose the LEAP-1A engine to power their order of A321neos.
CFM LEAP engines have experienced the fastest ramp-up in commercial aviation history.
With advanced technologies like composite fan blades and ceramic matrix composites the engines are 15 percent more fuel efficient, and offer 15 percent lower carbon emissions than prior-generation CFM56 engines. Backed by advanced health monitoring systems and an open MRO ecosystem, CFM LEAP engines offer mature reliability and enable high asset utilization for single-aisle aircraft.
Source: American Airlines
