First look: Inside American’s all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner with Flagship Suite seats and more

It’s the dawn of a new era for American Airlines.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier is making perhaps its biggest investment yet in premium, and that begins with the debut of all-new Flagship Suite seats aboard the swanky new Boeing 787-9P jet.

The new long-haul business-class suite isn’t just about a much-improved pod with sliding doors, upgraded tech and more personal space (though that’s certainly a welcome upgrade from the alternating rear- and forward-facing “coffins,” as some flyers describe the airline’s most dated biz product that’s still flying).

Pro tips: Major mistakes people make with travel rewards credit cards

It’s also about the sheer number of Flagship Suites you’ll find on board the new Dreamliner. While American already flies nearly 60 Dreamliners, the airline is doing something different with all the new 787s it receives from Boeing.

The new ones will be designated 787-9P (for “premium”) and feature a whopping 51 Flagship Suites and 32 newly upgraded premium economy recliners, offering a total of 83 premium seats on these jets.

That’s a nearly 65% increase in premium capacity for American compared to the airline’s existing 787-9s and underscores that the airline is serious about investing in premium, perhaps the industry’s biggest buzzword right now.

In advance of the airline’s inaugural 787-9P flight, the carrier invited a handful of media to its maintenance headquarters near Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to spend an hour in the hangar with the new jet.

Here’s what you can expect inside.

American’s new Flagship Suite Preferred

As you enter the 787-9P from Door 2L, you’ll see American’s signature flight symbol logo illuminated behind a slatted black design. This provides a nice modern welcome touch and will hopefully help usher in a sense of serenity during the boarding process.

Turning left brings you into the first nine-row business-class cabin.

Already from this moment, it’s pretty clear that this plane is unlike any other. Whether it’s the faux wood-lined doors or the black Flagship backdrop on the bulkhead wall, this cabin just feels more premium than anything American has offered before.

And that extends to the seats themselves, especially at the very pointy end of the plane.

The first row of both business-class cabins features the Flagship Suite Preferred seating option, a “business-class-plus” experience that’s designed, in American’s case, to replace Flagship First.

Because of the layout of the bulkhead, these eight seats offer additional personal space and more storage areas. American says that each Flagship Suite Preferred seat features 19% more bed space and 42% more living area than the regular Flagship Suite.

Unfortunately, Flagship Suite Preferred doesn’t feature buddy seats like JetBlue’s Mint Studio and United Airlines’ upcoming Polaris Studios, but they are 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.)

They also don’t feature double beds (nor do the regular Flagship Suites), which is a bummer considering United just debuted this feature for its new Polaris cabins coming next year.

Nevertheless, the Flagship Suite Preferred experience will become American’s top-of-the-line product. The seat itself definitely feels more spacious and luxurious compared to the others.

For one, I love the darker gray tones that American is using to demarcate the Preferred suites. Even the black suite trims and sliding doors help communicate that these are the fanciest seats. The quartz-style tray tables also appear to be more refined than those just a row behind.

You definitely feel all the additional space in the Flagship Suite Preferred seats compared to the regular pods one row back. The one downside is that you’ll only enjoy one window if you’re seated along the side of the plane.

American gave the entire plane a big tech upgrade that includes Bluetooth connectivity, universal AC outlets and USB-A and USB-C outlets at every seat.

Flagship Suite Preferred and Flagship Suite seats also enjoy a Qi wireless charging pad.

The 17.5-inch 4K TV had a crisp screen and a newly upgraded user interface that could be controlled using your finger or an entertainment remote.

Aside from the additional space, American will also offer elevated amenities for passengers seated here. 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 skin care products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.

Right now, American isn’t charging more for the Flagship Suite Preferred seats, but it presumably will start charging an additional fee for these seat assignments in the coming months.

American’s new Flagship Suite

Perhaps the biggest improvement is waiting for the 43 passengers seated in the Flagship Suite product.

These seats, a customized version of the popular Adient Ascent product, are spread across two cabins. The forward nine-row cabin feels quite large, while the rear five-row mini-cabin is where you’ll find me trying to Zen out when I eventually fly on this plane.

All seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration, meaning they face away from the aisle. This arrangement is great for solo travelers, but it doesn’t bode well for couples and families who want to spend time together during the flight.

There is a retractable, full-length privacy divider that can be extended between the two center seats, but your heads will still be quite far apart when you’re seated in the center. (Note that there is a small, albeit minor, gap between the end of the privacy divider and the seat in front of it.)

The seats themselves should be pretty familiar to anyone who has flown the Adient Ascent product before. Airlines offering similar seats include Qatar Airways and Hawaiian Airlines on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Just note that seats in Row 6 are missing windows.

All seats convert into 79-inch-long lie-flat beds, and the sliding doors extend for privacy. However, the sliding doors won’t be enabled from day one because the airline is still waiting for Federal Aviation Administration approval to use them as doors.

Remember that when you’re in bed mode, the seats can also be used as a chaise lounger, with your back up against the wall of the seat. American installed a second seat belt in this area to make it easier to relax in this configuration.

The carrier clearly thought about the details when designing these seats. I loved the two cocktail trays, one of which has the flight symbol etched into the surface.

The seats feature two enclosed storage compartments — a larger one with a mirror that tilts, as well as a smaller one built into the armrest.

The aisle armrests can be raised and lowered, but they don’t feature a water bottle holder like you might find on other similar products.

Even the movable headrest feels far more premium than anything American has done before. The tan coloring combined with the white flight symbol offers a nice contrast and gives the cabin a nice pop of color.

American’s customizations even extend to the silver sconces, which admittedly help the product feel far more luxurious than the airline’s existing mishmash of business-class products.

The 17.5-inch 4K TV screens are plenty large and feel adequately sized for the seat.

The new 787-9P is equipped with satellite-based Viasat Wi-Fi that will be free for all American Airlines AAdvantage members beginning in January.

There are three lavatories available for business-class travelers, all of which have an interesting cloud wallpaper that I haven’t seen before on an American jet.

I can’t decide if it feels tacky or luxe, but you’ll make your own call when you fly on the plane.

American’s new premium economy recliners

While the new business-class cabins are undoubtedly the star of the show, American also has some upgrades in store for the seats behind the fancy suites.

It starts in the premium economy cabin, which now features winged headrests for increased privacy.

Don’t be fooled, though. While the wings certainly help promote a sense of personal space, you’ll still be able to see your neighbor during the flight.

Premium economy will be spread across five rows in a 2-3-2 layout.

Each of these seats features a 13-inch 4K TV, a universal AC outlet, a USB-C outlet, a USB-A outlet and a Qi wireless charging pad. Interestingly, the wireless charging pad is enclosed underneath the seat TV, so it remains to be seen if that might lead to device overheating issues.

American infused the same cabin design from its Flagship Suite into the new premium economy section, which certainly elevates the feel of the premium economy experience. For instance, the tan headrest covers with the flight symbol logo contrasted with the deep blue seat covers with intricate stitching promote a luxe vibe for this cabin, something that’s sorely needed relative to American’s existing sterile premium economy experience.

As premium economy becomes more popular for those looking to upgrade from economy without splurging on business, it’s great to see American making some investments in these recliners. It remains to be seen if the airline will match the hard product investment with similar ones in the soft product (i.e., the dining and bedding), but at least the seats will be more comfortable than before.

American’s new economy cabins

Last but not least, American is even giving economy flyers something to get excited about: major tech upgrades.

The 143 slimline economy seats will feature 11.5-inch 4K TVs with Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a handful of charging options: universal AC outlets and USB-A and USB-C ports.

The seats themselves feature red accents that add a refreshing pop of color, but otherwise, they are still very much economy seats.

Expect 31 inches of pitch in the regular economy section.

Note that there are just 18 Main Cabin Extra seats on this aircraft, and they’re all located in the bulkhead, so if you don’t love this arrangement (or you book late), you’ll probably end up in a regular economy seat.

American Boeing 787-9 routes

American will inaugurate the Boeing 787-9P on June 5 with a domestic round trip between Chicago and Los Angeles. When the plane returns to Chicago, it will operate daily to London.

Going forward, the airline’s initial deployment schedule for the 787-9P is as follows:

As more new Dreamliners are delivered, American is expected to deploy these planes on additional premium-heavy routes. American has 30 787-9Ps on order, and it expects to receive eight of these jets in 2025.

In addition to the new 787-9s, American will also retrofit existing Boeing 777-300ERs with the new Flagship Suite seats. These planes will trade eight Flagship First seats and 52 Flagship Business seats for a whopping 70-seat Flagship Suite cabin. These retrofits are reportedly already underway, and the new cabins should start popping up on existing 777-300ER routes in the coming months.

Moreover, American’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft will feature a modified Flagship Suite experience, but more on that will come later this year when the first plane lands at DFW.

Bottom line

It’s an exciting time to be an American Airlines flyer.

The airline will soon launch its hotly anticipated Flagship Suite experience, featuring fully enclosed pods for the very first time. Plus, with big tech upgrades and fancier cabin finishes, it’s clear that these planes were designed for the modern traveler.

Better yet, the business-class suites are a big upgrade compared to the existing products that American offers on long-haul flights, and they should be a welcome improvement for any longtime American Airlines traveler. Even the premium economy and economy cabins are getting a much-needed refresh that focuses on improved tech, meaning many flyers should enjoy a better experience on board the Boeing 787-9P. (It’s just a shame there are so few Main Cabin Extra seats on this plane.)

All in all, the new Flagship Suites will allow American to more fiercely compete with its Big Three rivals (Delta Air Lines and United), as well as some of the major international airlines, in the product space. As more carriers invest in premium options, both by adding new seats and expanding the premium cabin footprint, American has just made its big move.

Now, it’s only a matter of time until travelers see if American can match these investments with commensurate improvements in onboard dining, amenities and service.

If it can, the carrier’s premium long-haul experience will be among the best in the U.S.

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