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American Dropping Bose Headphones for Premium Passengers

Sept. 25, 2018
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2 min read
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American Dropping Bose Headphones for Premium Passengers
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American Airlines CEO Doug Parker made a small, but significant announcement at APEX Expo in Boston on Monday.

Parker told the crowd that the airline will no longer provide Bose noise-cancelling headphones to international business and first class passengers. The headphones are a Brian Kelly and TPG staff favorite for their superior noise-cancelling ability.

Bose noise-cancelling headphones on board an American Airlines 787. Image by Katie Genter / The Points Guy.

Starting in Q2 2019, American will replace Bose Quite Comfort with Bang & Olufsen headphones. Premium cabin passengers will enjoy Bang & Olufsen's H9i model which retail for $499 and are regarded as high-quality headsets throughout the industry.

Bang & Olufsen H9i headset. Image courtesy of Bang & Olufsen.

According to Economy Class & Beyond, Parker said the reason for the switch was that Bose was mainly interested in the exposure American provided its brand — and not what the company was actually making off the deal. Bose had to specially manufacture three-pinned headphone jacks, which provide power and audio to the device, meaning the company couldn't just provide its normal, single pin, off-the-shelf headphones to AA.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.