American Airlines (AA) is one of the major airline companies in the United States that operates over 6,800 daily flights to over 350 destinations across the globe. The airline has its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas and operates from 10 hubs located at different airports in the U.S.
Charlotte, Washington–National, Chicago–O’Hare, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Dallas–Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia and Philadelphia are the 10 primary hubs for AA.
At present, American Airlines operates over 900 aircraft including Airbus A319, A320, A321, A321 Transcon, A321neo, Boeing 737-800, B737 MAX, B777-200, B777-300ER, B787-8/787-9 Dreamliner, CRJ-700/900 and ERJ-145/170/175.
Flagship First, Flagship Business, Business Class, First Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class are the cabin services provided by the AA. Today, we will explore American Airlines Flagship Business Class with all the important details.
About American Airlines Flagship Business Class
American Airlines Flagship Business Class is specially introduced for long-haul international flights between the United States and Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America. At present, the airline also offers Flagship Business on select flights between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. For short international and domestic flights, AA offers a Business Class Cabin service.
AA Flagship Business Class is offered only on aircraft with lie-flat seats which are Boeing 787-8/787-9 Dreamliner, Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T), Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 777-200.
American Airlines Flagship Business Amenities
American Airlines Flagship Business Class customers enjoy various amenities on the ground and in the air. Some major benefits are listed below.
- Speedy Check-in and Security Screening at the airport.
- Priority boarding.
- Priority Baggage Handling
- Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club Access
- Arrivals Lounge when flying to London (LHR)
- Five Star Service with ultimate premium assistance
- Fully Lie-Flat seats with added comfort.
- Chef-inspired dining with a multi-course meal and award-winning beverages.
- Free inflight entertainment with tons of free movies, TV programs, music, games and so on.
- Wi-Fi available on select aircraft.
- Shinola and D.S. & Durga Amenity Kit
- Loyalty Benefits including AAdvantage Status
American Airlines Flagship Business Class Seats
American Airlines Business Class offer spacious seats with additional legroom for enhanced comfort and a premium travel experience. All Flagship Business Class seats are fully lie-flat seats that offer the comfiest flying experience.
For instance, Business Class seats on Boeing 777 are incredibly big and spacious providing a great amount of personal space. Flagship Business Class is only available on Boeing 777-200, B777-300ER, B787-8/787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T).
American Airlines Flagship Business Class Baggage Allowance
You can check up to 10 bags on domestic, transatlantic and transpacific flights with American Airlines whereas only 5 checked bags are allowed on flights to and from Mexico, Caribbean, Central American, South America and Brazil.
As an AA Flagship Business Class passenger, you can check up to 2 bags for free with a maximum weight of 70 lbs (32 kgs) and a dimension of 62 inches (158 cm). If you have excess charged bags, the weight limitation is 50 lbs (23 kgs).
Furthermore, you can carry 1 personal item and 1 carry-on bag. The personal item may include a purse or small handbag whose dimension must not exceed 18 inches x 14 inches x 8 inches (45cm x 35cm x 20cm). Such items must fit under the seat in front of you. Likewise, the Carry-on bag must not exceed 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches (56cm x 36cm x 23cm) and must fit in the sizer at the airport.
In the case of oversized and overweight bags, please refer to the table below for pricing.
Applicable Charges for Oversized Bags
| DESTINATION | SIZE LIMITATION | PRICE |
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | 62 in / 158 cm – 126 in / 320 cm | $200 |
| Mexico / Caribbean / Central America / Guyana / Suriname | 62 in / 158 cm – 126 in / 320 cm | $200 |
| South America (except Guyana / Suriname) | 62 in / 158 cm – 126 in / 320 cm | $150 |
| Europe, Israel, Qatar | 62 in / 158 cm – 126 in / 320 cm | $150 |
| China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Australia and New Zealand | 62 in / 158 cm – 126 in / 320 cm | $200 |
Applicable Charges for Overweight Bags
| DESTINATION | 51 lbs (23kgs) – 70 lbs (32kgs) | 71 lbs (32kgs) – 100 lbs (45kgs) |
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | $100 | $200 |
| Cuba | $200 | Not Accepted |
| Mexico / Caribbean (excluding Cuba) / Central and South America | $100 | $200 |
| Europe, Israel, Qatar | $100 | Not Accepted |
| China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand and Australia | $100 | $450 (Not accepted to/from Australia) |
American Airlines Flagship Business Class Amenity Kit
American Airlines has partnered with Shinola and D.S. & Durga to provide an awesome amenity kit for Flagship Business customers. The amenity kit contains a pouch with a Dental Kit, Ear Plugs, a pen, Hand Cream, a sleeping eye mask and a pair of socks.
Shinola (a luxury design brand) has designed the amenity bag or pouch exclusively for AA. Likewise, Lip Balms and Lotions are manufactured by New York-based famous perfume manufacturer D.S. & Durga.
American Airlines Flagship Business Class Entertainment
AA Flagship Business Class customers can enjoy free in-flight entertainment service with tons of free libraries of movies, TV Programs, shows, music and much more. These entertainment programs can also be streamed to smartphones, tablets or laptop devices.
In-flight movies and TV shows are updated monthly on AA in-flight entertainment to provide a wide range of entertainment programs for passengers.
Passengers can enjoy the award-winning Apple TV+ channel and Apple Music for free with AA flights. With Apple TV+, they can enjoy various movies and TV shows whereas Apple Music offers more than 90 million songs with 30,000 playlists and original content from famous artists.
Talking about the in-flight Wi-Fi, passengers can access high-speed Wi-Fi during the entire flight however, they have to pay applicable charges.
American Airlines Flagship Business Class Menu
The James Beard Foundation (a premier culinary organization) offers a premium dining experience to American Airlines’ premium cabin passengers. Flagship Business Class customers can enjoy a variety of dishes prepared by a group of elite chefs.
The foods offered are healthy, delicious and customized to satisfy the taste of the valuable customers.
The meal options offered by American Airlines in Business Class depend upon the region and length of the flight. For instance, Business Class flights between the U.S. and Canada, Caribbean, Central and select South America offer Snack baskets on 500-899 miles flights, meal service on flights over 900 miles and snacks on all flights without snack baskets or meals.
In addition to the delicious foods, passengers can enjoy complimentary drinks including a variety of beers, wines and spirits.
American Airlines Flagship Business Lounge and Club Access
American Airlines passengers flying on Flagship Business Class can access Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club. With that, you can relax before your departure in the premium Flagship Lounge in select hub cities or enjoy Admirals Club Lounges in other cities.
Passengers can enjoy Chef-inspired meals, Premium Wines, Personalized Service, Expansive seating, Specialty Cocktail Bar and Shower Suites in Flagship Lounge. Likewise, they can enjoy Snacks, House Drinks, Made-to-order Specialties, Personal Travel Assistance, Shower Suites, Business centres, Digital Magazines, Newspapers, food and beverages, full meals, premium drinks and much more at the AA Admirals Club.
American Airlines Flagship Business Transcontinental
American Airlines offers Flagship Business – Transcontinental Class for enhanced amenities and services on Transcontinental routes. This special service is available on transcontinental flights illustrated in the table below.
| FLIGHT ORIGIN | DESTINATION | AIRCRAFT TYPE |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | New York (JFK) | Boeing 777-200, B777-300ER, B787-8/787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T). |
| San Francisco (SFO) | New York (JFK) | Boeing 777-200, B777-300ER, B787-8/787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T). |
| New York (JFK) | John Wayne Airport (SNA) | A321 Transcon (A321T) |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Boston (BOS) | A321 Transcon (A321T) |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Miami (MIA) | Boeing 777-200, B777-300ER, B787-8/787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T). |
Flagship Business and Flagship Business–Transcontinental offer identical amenities and services. The only difference is the food menus as Transcontinental offers exclusive wines and premium meals prepared by award-winning chef Sam Choy. Besides, the menu also features a one-of-a-kind dish designed by the Chef Sarah Grueneberg and James Beard Foundation.
American Airlines Flagship Business Class Review
American Airlines Flagship Business Class experience may vary according to the aircraft type, flight route, amenities offered and various other factors. Let’s look into an AA flight from New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO) on an Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T).
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is one of the 10 primary hubs for American Airlines where you will find Flagship Lounge. As a Flagship Business Class passenger, you can access the Flagship Lounge which offers delicious foods, beverages, expansive seating and relaxation.
You will get a priority boarding and faster security screening at check-in at the departure airport. As you enter the Airbus A321T, you will find 10 Flagship First Open Suites, 20 Flagship Business Flat-Bed seats and 72 Economy seats.
20 Flagship Business Flat-Bed seats are arranged in 2-2 configurations. In the seat, you can find a blanket, pillow and an amenity kit that includes a Shinola Pouch, Earplug, a pen, Lotion, Dental Kit, Sleeping eye mask and a pair of socks.
You can enjoy in-flight entertainment with a free library of movies, TV shows, music and much more. You will also get a noise-cancelling headphone designed by Bang & Olufsen. For JFK–SFO route, you can enjoy drinks, snacks, salads and various other meal options.
The Flagship Business Class experience on Airbus A321T is average however, it might depend upon your requirement. The aircraft is not as premium as you think in comparison to other aircraft like Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner. Talking about the food, it is average and the customer service offered by the cabin crew is good.
If you just want to explore what Flagship Business Class looks like on American Airlines then you can fly on A321 Transcon. However, you need to choose Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft for a more premium Flagship Business flying experience.
American Airlines Flagship Business vs Business Class
American Airlines Business Class and Flagship Business offer somewhat identical amenities and services with some differences. Both the cabin services offer priority privileges, Five Star Service, Flagship Lounge & Club Access, wider seats, extra comfort, premium dining, in-flight entertainment with paid Wi-Fi, loyalty benefits and much more.
The main difference between the two cabin services is that the Flagship Business is available for long-haul international flights between the United States and Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and New Zealand whereas Business Class is meant for short-haul international routes between the U.S. and Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and select South American cities.
Talking about the seating, AA Business Class offers lie-flat beds on all aircraft except Airbus A319, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8. On the other hand, Flagship Business Class offers lie-flat seats on all aircraft types including Boeing 777-200, B777-300ER, B787-8/787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A321 Transcon.
Besides, Flagship Business Class offers arrival lounge facilities to those passengers flying to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Talking about the food, AA Business Class offers a regular menu with award-winning wines whereas Flagship Business Class features a multi-course meal with award-winning wines and exclusive dishes prepared by elite chefs from the James Beard Foundation.
Conclusion
In this article, we explored American Airlines Flagship Business Class cabin service with amenities, features, baggage allowance, food and beverages, review, comparison with AA Business Class and much more.
For more detailed information, you can visit the airline’s official website.
Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does American Airlines mean by Flagship?
Flagship is specially introduced for long-haul international flights to offer a premium travel experience to American Airlines Premium Cabin passengers.
What is the difference between Flagship and First Class on American Airlines?
American Airlines Flagship First Class is introduced for long-haul international and transcontinental flights whereas First Class is for domestic flights.
Does American Airlines have flatbeds in Business Class?
American Airlines offers flatbeds in all Business Class seats except on aircraft including Airbus A319, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Does American Airlines provide Pajamas in Business Class?
Pajamas are not provided in American Airlines Business Class however, you will receive a blanket, pillow and an amenity kit.
