American Airlines is pivoting to premium.
In the span of a few weeks, American Airlines has promised Starlink Wi-Fi on every mainline jet, unveiled plans for its biggest-ever Admirals Club, and launched an app tool that hunts down a better seat for you.
These recent announcements highlight how the airline is taking lessons from its competitors and gearing up to make up ground in the high-stakes premium race.
On their own, each recent update stands as an incremental change. But taken together—and viewed next to the impressive new cabins and seats American introduced this fall—they appear to underscore an investment American is making to improve the passenger experience and earn a bigger share of the splashy, growing premium world that United and Delta have dominated in recent years.
“American’s doing a lot of fun things,” said industry expert Henry Harteveldt, president of travel industry advisory firm Atmosphere Research Group. “I’m glad to see them competing on product.”
The big question: Can American catch up and earn a return on its investments or will these all end up being little updates that don’t move the needle? That, Harteveldt stressed, also depends on whether American can ultimately also run a more reliable operation.
High-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on every mainline jet
American announced earlier this month that it will expand its Wi-Fi upgrade to cover its entire mainline fleet, ranging from the smallest Airbus A320 to the largest Boeing 777.
When American first announced its Starlink deal in May, it covered only its 500-plus Airbus narrow-bodies. The upgrade brings American in line with alliance partner Alaska Airlines and rival United, which have both embraced Starlink as well.
Installation begins in early 2027. Starlink Wi-Fi will be free for American AAdvantage members.
New Admirals Clubs in Charlotte and Dallas
Two of American’s biggest hubs are getting even bigger lounges to match.
American will open its biggest-ever Admirals Club lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, following up on previously announced investments in the airport’s lounges.
The new 40,000-square-foot lounge will span the airport’s atrium on the mezzanine level, and American’s current Charlotte lounges—Admirals Clubs in Concourses B and C/D and the grab-and-go Provisions by Admirals Club near Gate A1—will stay open during construction, which begins later this year. American hasn’t announced an opening date. It has also said it will open a more-premium business class Flagship Lounge at the airport but has not provided details.
Charlotte’s new Admirals Club will join a new 37,000-square-foot lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal C—announced in July—to represent the two biggest lounge spaces in American’s networks.
Related story: The Best New U.S. Airport Lounges in 2026
New international American Airlines routes for 2027
American’s quotidian domestic network has long been one of its biggest strengths, with an unmatched ability to connect hubs to spokes and fly passengers onward.
A few recent moves, however, suggest that American is looking to add some more farther-afield fun to its hubs—and take advantage of the deluge of premium leisure travel demand.
Its summer 2027 schedule will feature seven new international routes, including several unique standouts such as Philadelphia to Porto, Vienna, and Reykjavík, plus Chicago–Tokyo Narita (a route American last flew about seven years ago) and Charlotte–Barcelona. Porto and Vienna are new to American’s map; Reykjavík returns for the first time since 2019.
Observers will have to wait and see how much American’s route strategy pivots in the coming year, with a shakeup that sees Nick Andersen, a longtime American executive with broad experience across the airline, take over as senior vice president of network planning.
Automated seat swaps in the app
On the tech side, American recently updated its app with a new feature that lets AAdvantage members pick the type of seat they would prefer—window or aisle, front of cabin or bulkhead—if it isn’t available at booking. If their preferred type of seat becomes available, the app will automatically move the traveler.
The feature is only available for solo travelers who already have a seat assignment, up until 24 hours before departure, and it will only make changes that will not incur extra charges.
It matches a similar feature introduced by United Airlines in 2024.
Citi AAdvantage credit card enhancements
Also entering the mix are some added credit card incentives. On Tuesday, October 27, American and Citi announced changes to their most mainstream cobranded credit cards that appear aimed at driving more spending and engagement with the AAdvantage frequent flier program.
The AAdvantage Platinum Select card will have more opportunities to earn bonus points on more purchases, along with new credits for flights, in-flight purchases, and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
The airline also offers more premium credit cards—such as the Citi/AAdvantage Executive Card—aimed at more frequent fliers, which include access to Admirals Club lounges.
Will it work?
American is investing in its customer experience in a way that might bring it more in line with its competitors. While the recent announcements are all relatively minor on their own, together they point to real progress.
“I have high hopes for American, and I do believe that the airline is committed,” Harteveldt said. “What American has to do is make itself an airline that people seek out and are willing to pay a premium to fly.”
Executives at American, meanwhile, say they’re fully committed to strengthening the airline’s premium chops.
“I would say it is a full circle moment for us,” Rhonda Crawford, American’s senior vice president of customer experience design, told Afar in a recent call. “We definitely, at American Airlines, have a long history and legacy of innovation, but also premium experience.”
She added,“We are leaning in on a new and bolder way.”
The first real tests come quickly: Andersen takes over network planning November 1, Starlink installations start early next year, and Porto service launches in March. Whether travelers notice will depend as much on on-time arrivals as it does on lounge access.
