American Airlines is upgrading first class on its Boeing 737s
American Airlines is rejigging its plans to update the interiors of its Airbus A321 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft with some soft improvements to first class following customer feedback.
The A321s are going to 190 seats from as few as 181 seats today, and the 737-800s to 172 seats from 160 seats under the "Project Oasis" retrofits. All of the retrofits will be done by April 2022 under the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier's latest timeline.
Beyond the general layouts, however, the exact fittings are not set in stone. American began flying its first 737-800 with a number of customer-driven first class updates in what could be called Oasis version 2.0 on Jan. 18.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline news!
"We are responding to customer feedback in our First Class cabin," American vice president of global marketing Janelle Anderson told TPG on the updates Friday. "We take customer feedback very seriously."
American has made at least six updates to the first class cabin on the 737-800s, compared to the Oasis 1.0 iteration. Changes include:
- An improved privacy divider between the first class and economy cabins;
- Three inches of additional legroom in the first row via a cutout from the forward closet;
- More under-seat storage room;
- Tablet holders;
- A cocktail tray;
- An improved seat cushion.
"It aesthetically looks a lot better than the plastic divider," said Anderson of the new privacy screens. The update is two fold: one element is an expanded leather seatback that closes the gap between the seats in the last row of first class, and the second is a larger divider made out of leather that descends from the overhead bin.
Related: American sets end date for A321, 737 'Project Oasis' updates
The Oasis 2.0 first-class updates, once installation is certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will be outfitted on the 82 reconfigured 737-800s by year-end, said Anderson. The remaining 222 737-800s in American's fleet will be receive the updated first class during their Oasis overhauls.
The first class improvements are not limited to the 737-800s. American will add the extra under-seat storage room and cocktail tray to its A321 cabin updates; it'll also incorporate all of the improvements on its 737 MAX 8s after the jets are cleared to return to the skies, said Anderson.
American CEO Doug Parker suggested Thursday that the airline will not resume MAX flying until "late summer or early fall" at the soonest.
The airline has not changed its plans to add 12 seats to each 737-800 with the Oasis 2.0 updates. The aircraft will still be outfitted with 16 first class, 30 Main Cabin Extra and 126 Main Cabin seats.
In addition, American has not changed its mind on offering seatback inflight entertainment. When asked, Anderson reiterated the airline's line that it can offer passengers better entertainment options through high-speed Wi-Fi and streaming services to personal devices.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- 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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.