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
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| 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. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $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.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $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.