American introduces new Flagship Suite Preferred seats as it scraps first class
American Airlines will become the latest airline to offer a "business class plus" experience.
The Fort Worth-based carrier unveiled Wednesday what it's calling the Flagship Suite Preferred experience, part of a larger overhaul of the onboard dining and amenities set to debut in the coming weeks.
Flagship Suite Preferred seats will be in the front-row bulkhead on newly delivered Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets and retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER planes.
Because of the layout of the bulkhead, these seats will offer additional personal space and more storage areas. They won't feature buddy seats like you'd find in JetBlue's Mint Studio or Condor's Prime Seats, but they will be more spacious and desirable compared to the rest of the cabin. (Just note that the proximity to the galley could be bothersome during overnight flights.)
Aside from the additional space, American will also offer elevated amenities for the Flagship Suite Preferred seats. This includes a Nest Bedding-branded mattress pad, a throw blanket and a memory foam lumbar pillow. Flyers splurging for these seats will also enjoy Nest-branded pajamas and an exclusive amenity kit with additional skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
It remains to be seen if American can ensure that it provisions all of these extra amenities consistently on every flight that features the Flagship Suite Preferred experience.
American didn't have too many more details to share about this upgraded product, but it will debut as part of American's new business-class and premium economy cabins that were first announced in 2022 and are expected to take to the skies later this year.
The airline declined to share pricing information, nor did it mention if travelers would be able to redeem miles or upgrades for these seats. We'll be sure to update this story with more information as it becomes available.
That said, TPG spoke with Raphael Girardoni, managing director of customer experience product and design, who confirmed that the existing ground experience will remain available to Flagship Suite Preferred passengers, hinting that they might get access to the Flagship First Dining facilities.
"We really focused on the Flagship Suite Preferred as that differentiated experience that introduces additional bedding and amenities to our customers that they can enjoy regardless of what the Flagship route is that they're flying," explained Girardoni.
The introduction of the Flagship Suite Preferred product comes as the industry has been going all-in on business class at the expense of exclusive first-class cabins.
Though a handful of international airlines are still committed to offering first class in key business and leisure markets, most carriers are instead going all-in on business class. This includes American, which is retiring its Flagship First product in the coming months in favor of fancier business-class suites with sliding doors.
And, as airlines have been debuting cutting-edge business-class products, a new cabin class is emerging, commonly referred to as "business class plus."
These products usually occupy the first row of the cabin and offer additional space, storage and amenities that take advantage of the bulkhead's unique configuration. Though JetBlue was among the first to popularize this concept with the introduction of the Mint Studio, several airlines have since unveiled something similar.
Virgin Atlantic offers the Retreat Suite on its Airbus A330-900neo, but there are just two of them in the center of the bulkhead and they don't feature any additional amenities. German leisure carrier Condor unveiled a similar product dubbed the Prime Seat in the first row of its new A330neo, and it comes with extra perks, such as a special snack basket and pajamas.
Just last week, United Airlines began surveying customers about a possible Polaris Plus product in the first-row bulkhead of its upcoming 787 Dreamliners. The customer survey even included mention of additional amenities, including an option for "champagne-on-demand."
While the Chicago-based airline hasn't confirmed any details about this possible new product, the carrier may soon start feeling the competitive pressure from American's new Flagship Suite Preferred experience.
Related reading:
- Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
- Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
- American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees