- American Airlines will equip every narrowbody seat with its own screen
- New aircraft get screens from 2028 with retrofits continuing to early 2030s
- The airline reversed its 2017 decision to remove IFE screens
- Premium seating increases from 25pc to 40pc of narrowbody capacity
- Starlink installation begins in the first quarter of 2027 on over 500 aircraft
American Airlines has effectively admitted that its screen-free domestic cabin was a mistake, announcing it will equip every narrowbody seat with its own screen. The airline will install 4K entertainment displays, Bluetooth audio, fast charging, Starlink connectivity and substantially more premium seating. Factory-fresh Airbus and Boeing jets will get them from 2028, and the hundreds already flying will cycle through retrofit lines, with last installations not expected before the early 2030s.
The extensive IFE retrofit will take years to complete because American is essentially reversing a strategy it spent years implementing. The shift away from embedded entertainment began in 2017 when the airline decided that its new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft would not include IFE screens. This decision was carried through to the existing fleet under Project Oasis, which involved removing screens from the 737-800s and Airbus A321s and installing device holders instead.
American plans to increase premium and extra-legroom seating from approximately 25pc to 40pc of narrowbody capacity. Airbus A319s and A320s will gain another First Class row, forthcoming Boeing 737 MAX 10s will carry 24 First Class seats, and A321neos will receive additional premium capacity. The airline also committed to installing Starlink on more than 500 Airbus narrowbodies, beginning in the first quarter of 2027. The Starlink-equipped aircraft will enter service before the first new narrowbodies with screens arrive in 2028.
