Guide To American Airlines Business Class
Intro
In the past, I have published a guide to United Airlines Business Class and what to expect depending on the aircraft. However, I thought it might be a nice idea to do the same with American Airlines, considering the amount of different aircraft they have in their fleet. Having flown almost every aircraft in the American Airlines fleet, I thought this would be a cool idea to share.
The 777-300ER
Many people have their own "favorite seat" in business class on American Airlines, but for me, it is the 777-300ER. With a total of 17 active 777-300ERs in their fleet, American Airlines offers a reverse herringbone setup in a 1-2-1 configuration. The nice aspect about the Safran Cirrus II seat is that the footwell isn't too limited in comparison to the 787 fleet...
If possible, I would recommend selecting seats in row 3 or 4 in the mini cabin, as it provides the utmost privacy for passengers.
For those looking to fly on a 777-300ER domestically, you'll be happy to know that you can book a first-class seat (with exactly the same soft product as the business class) for no additional cost.
However, be aware that American Airlines plans to retrofit these 777s by next year at the earliest. Originally, we were looking at the back end of 2024, but due to Boeing aircraft delays, this has now been pushed back.
777-200ER
For those looking to fly on the 777-200ER, this is where it gets a bit more complicated, at least in terms of business class. The majority of the 777-200 aircraft feature the reverse herringbone configuration, but around 40% of the 45 current aircraft feature the Zodiac design...
Unfortunately, there is no way to know until a couple of days before departure, but the Zodiac seat isn't too bad (okay, it's not that great, but still).
If you manage to get on the configuration with the reverse herringbone, it is miles better 🙂.
The 787 Fleet
When it comes to the 787 fleet, once again (like the 777-200ER flee), it gets a bit more complicated.
With the 787-9 fleet, all of the Business Class seats feature the reverse herringbone configuration in a 1-2-1 configuration. If you have the choice between taking a 787-8 and a 787-9, TAKE THE 787-9 variant!
However, when it comes to the 787-8, here is where it gets a bit more complicated. American Airlines originally wanted to install this Zodiac configuration (as posted above) but then later retracted this to install the reverse herringbone configuration on the 787-8. This means that certain 787-8s have the Zodiac, and others have the reverse herringbone. Of course, you have no idea which one you are going to get until closer to departure 😒.
Narrowbody Fleet
There is one aspect where American Airlines shines, and that is its narrowbody fleet. For those flying on an American Airlines A321, A320, and A319 (minus the A321T), you will be seated in the same seat in a 2-2 configuration every time. Unlike United, which has certain aircraft that haven't had a refurb and certain aircraft that have had a refurb, America doesn't have the same issue.
Yes, I know this is as marketed as "First Class" when flying across the USA. However, when flying to Canada/Central America/South America, this cabin is marketed as "Business Class," which in turn allows access to the Admirals Club*.
A321T
Saving the best for last? Or saving the most rundown cabin for last? For those unaware, American Airlines operates a special fleet of A321s that usually* fly from New York/Boston to Los Angeles/SFO/SNA. These feature 102 seats, with 10 First Class seats, 20 business-class seats, and only 72 economy seats.
While plenty of people have had issues with the American Airlines Business Class on their A321T, I have always had pleasant flights flying from New York to Los Angeles (and vice versa).
The A321T is a fantastic experience and one that I would highly recommend you seek out. Just make sure to check that the aircraft you are planning to fly is actually the A321T and not a regular A321... 😉.
There are also smaller narrowbody jets that feature the 1-2 configuration, although, minus Canada and a few markets in Central America, these are traditionally operated in the continental 48.
Final Thoughts
For those planning to fly Business Class on American Airlines internationally, keep in mind that there are plenty of different options. While my go-to aircraft is the 777-300ER, if you happen to find yourself on the 787-9, you will also be in for a treat. On the other hand, both the 787-8 and 777-200ER feature two different variants of business class, so make sure to keep that in mind when booking. On narrowbodies, almost all of the fleet features the same business-class product, minus the A321T, of course.
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