American Airlines shares 3 exciting updates about its new Flagship Business suites
American Airlines' big bet on premium is getting even bigger.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline announced on Wednesday three exciting updates related to its new flagship jet, the Boeing 787-9P, which debuted last month after years of anticipation.
The plane offers American's new signature business-class experience, and it marks a new era for the airline that hasn't historically competed as heavily as some of its peers for the premium market.
Here's everything you need to know.
American expanding 787-9P network

American will start flying the 787-9P to additional destinations in the coming months.
Right now, the plane is exclusively flying between Chicago and London, but that will be expanded to include several additional markets, American announced on Wednesday.
You'll find the full deployment schedule for the jet in the table below.
| Departure | Arrival | Upcoming service |
|---|---|---|
Chicago | London | All flights starting July 5 |
Dallas-Fort Worth | Auckland, New Zealand | Daily service from Jan. 5 to March 28 |
Dallas-Fort Worth | Brisbane, Australia | Daily service from Oct. 25 to March 28 |
Dallas-Fort Worth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Daily service from Oct. 26 to Jan. 5 |
Dallas-Fort Worth | London | Daily service (AA78 and AA79) from Oct. 26 to Jan. 5, with a second daily flight (AA20 and AA21) from Dec. 3 to Jan. 5 |
Philadelphia | London | Daily service from Oct. 25 to Jan. 5 |
All of these existing routes will be updated to reflect the new plane configuration by Monday, July 7, and passengers booked on these flights will be able to see the updated seat map then. Furthermore, travelers looking to specifically purchase a flight operated by this jet will need to look for the "78P" designator when shopping via American's booking channels.
In terms of the deployment strategy, it's no surprise to see American going big in London. Even though the U.S.-to-London market is already saturated with premium service, it seems that American believes there's more untapped premium demand that it can capture with this new plane.
Suites are officially suites

When American inaugurated the 787-9P, it needed to modify a key aspect of the business-class experience. All sliding doors were locked in the open position because the airline hadn't yet received the necessary certification from the Federal Aviation Administration to use them.
The good news is that the doors have now officially received the FAA's stamp of approval, and the airline will activate the door functionality in the Flagship Suite product in the coming days.
That should be welcome news for any passenger looking to maximize their rest and privacy on board this jet.
New onboard amenities

In yet another big investment in premium, American will start offering mattress pads and pajamas in business class on all flights to East Asia, the Middle East, India, Australia and New Zealand.
The airline shared that these new amenities will be available beginning later this summer, and it joins existing sleep amenities, such as slippers, plush pillows and duvets.
Over the years, American has offered pajamas and mattress pads on select ultra-long-haul flights, but those premium touches have also been scaled back in recent months, presumably to drive down costs.
Furthermore, American's new business-class-plus experience, dubbed Flagship Suite Preferred, will continue to include even fancier amenities, such as larger amenity kits and enhanced bedding. This product will presumably be charged as a separate add-on in the coming months, but for now, American confirmed it will remain available on a first-come, first-served basis when booking.
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
- American Airlines basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month

