Finally: American receives first Boeing 787 Dreamliners that will sport new Flagship Business suites
American Airlines is one step closer to debuting its nicest business-class seats yet.
This week, the Fort Worth-based carrier took delivery of two brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners that will boast its new Flagship Suite Preferred seats — an all-new premium concept that's been years in the making.
With sliding privacy doors, a chaise lounge option and an overall reimagined take on business class, American's new Dreamliners will usher in a new era of sorts for the carrier's premium offerings — and should prove to be one of the most enticing options yet for travelers hoping to redeem AAdvantage miles on American-operated flights.
American's two new 787s touched down over the course of roughly three hours Tuesday evening at the carrier's Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) home base — one from Charleston, South Carolina, and another from Paine Field outside Seattle.
They'll enter service soon, though American isn't offering an exact date just yet.
A highly anticipated debut
These Dreamliners have been much anticipated, ever since American first unveiled the business-class suites — and an overall cabin refresh to boot — in renderings shared nearly three years ago.
Delays at Boeing in recent years pushed back the delivery of these new jets and, in the process, the debut of the new premium concept. But now, customers should see them in service very soon.
American's new 787-9Ps
On top of an all-new type of business-class seat, American's new 787-9s will offer more of the seats — these aircraft, with a new premium-heavy configuration, are known around the airline's headquarters as the 787-9Ps.
For comparison, the 787-9s American is currently flying offer 30 business-class pods and 21 premium economy recliners.
The new jets will sport 51 business-class suites, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration and with universal direct aisle access.
These jets will also have 32 all-new premium economy recliners.
American's premium economy recliners — along with all the seats on its new planes — will sport all-new custom designs, along with branding and a new aesthetic you'll see throughout the cabin.
"These deliveries, along with the planned refresh of existing seats, are expected to grow American's lie-flat and premium economy seating by approximately 50% by the end of the decade," CEO Robert Isom told analysts last week on the company's first-quarter earnings call.
Exactly where will they fly?
American hasn't announced the first set of routes for its first 787-9Ps. But the carrier's top network planner, Brian Znotins, told me last fall that American's flights from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) seemed a likely bet.
Flagship Business coming to other planes, too
These Dreamliners (and future 787-9 deliveries) aren't the only jets that will see the new business-class concept.
American is planning to retrofit its Boeing 777-300ERs with the new seats, too — a change that will spell the end for its Flagship First cabin.
Also getting the Flagship Business suites: its long-haul-capable Airbus A321XLRs, which will also boast a true premium economy cabin. Those jets will debut on premium transcontinental routes, replacing jets currently flying with American's four-cabin A321T configuration.
Eventually, the XLRs should also appear on transatlantic (and other international) routes. However, Isom suggested last week that the XLRs may not enter service until late 2025.
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