American Airlines (AA or AAL) is the major airline in the United States and the world’s biggest airline in terms of scheduled passengers served, fleet size and revenue passenger mile. It operates over 6,800 daily flights to 350 destinations worldwide.
AA operates from 10 primary hubs located at different airports across the country including Charlotte, Chicago–O’Hare, Dallas–Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor and Washington–National.
Talking about the fleet status, AA owns more than 900 aircraft that include 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 First Class with all the important details.
Table of Contents
About American Airlines Flagship First Class
American Airlines introduced Flagship First Class to facilitate international flights with a true First Class experience. This premium cabin service is specially designed for international flights between the United States and Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.
Domestic flights between the U.S. 50 states are served by AA First Class whereas Flagship First offers the most exclusive, personalized and premium services on international routes.
At present, American Airlines Flagship First is available only on Boeing 777-300 aircraft. However, you can receive Flagship First on transcontinental flights on Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T) and 777-300ER also. LAX–JFK, SFO–JFK, JFK–SNA, LAX–BOS and LAX–MIA are the transcontinental routes in which Flagship First cabin service is available.
American Airlines Flagship First Amenities
American Airlines Flagship First passengers enjoy various amenities on the ground and in the air. Some major benefits offered by Flagship First are listed below.
- Flagship First Check-in for the expedited Check-in process.
- Priority Privileges with faster boarding and security screening.
- Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club Access.
- Flagship First Dining with an exclusive fine-dining experience.
- Arrivals Lounge Facility while flying to London Heathrow (LHR).
- Five Star Service with an Ultimate Premium Assistance.
- Flagship Suite Lie-Flat seats with enhanced comfort.
- Chef-inspired Dining designed by elite chefs.
- Shinola and D.S. & Durga Amenity Kit.
- Free in-flight entertainment.
- Power outlets and USB Ports are available on all seats.
- Loyalty Benefits with AAdvantage Statues.
- Paid in-flight high-speed Wi-Fi.
American Airlines Flagship First Seats
American Airlines Flagship First Cabin service is available on Boeing 777-300 aircraft only. All seats on Flagship First are lie-flat seats and also known as Flagship Suite seats. Passengers can sleep comfortably with aisle access.
There are 8 lie-flat Flagship Suite seats on the Boeing 777-300ER with a seat width of 21.5 inches. Every seat feature a seatback screen, live TV, high-speed Wi-Fi, USB ports and power outlets.
American Airlines Flagship First Routes
American Airlines Flagship First is especially meant for international flights as First Class is offered for domestic flights across the U.S. 50 states.
Flagship First Cabin Service is available on all international routes between the United States and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
American Airlines Flagship First Check-In
American Airlines offers Flagship First Check-in service in select cities with a private check-in process for expedited processing. Those passengers flying in Flagship First on a qualifying international or transcontinental flight benefit from Flagship First Check-in.
Flagship First Check-in features the following services.
- Exclusive Check-in Area
- Personalized Assistance
- Expedited Security Access
Flagship First Check-in service is available only in select cities including Chicago–O’Hare (ORD), London Heathrow (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA) and New York (JFK).
American Airlines Flagship First Baggage Allowance
Flagship First passengers on American Airlines flights can check up to three free checked bags with 70 lbs (32kgs) weight on each bag. The maximum allowed dimension is 62 inches (158 cm).
For oversized and overweight bags, certain charges are applicable as shown in the tables below.
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 First Lounge Access
American Airlines passengers flying on Flagship First Class can access Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club. With that, they can relax before 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 First Amenities Kit
Passengers on American Airlines Flagship First class receive an amenities kit designed by Shinola and D.S. & Durga. These two brands reflect popular lifestyle products.
You will get a Shinola pouch along with a sleeping eye mask, cream & lotion, a pen, a dental kit, tissue and earplugs. Besides, you will also receive a Casper sleep set that contains pillows, blankets, mattress pads, slippers and pajamas.
American Airlines Flagship First Dining
American Airlines Flagship First Dining is available on the ground before your departure. You can enjoy a complimentary First-Class dining experience inside select Flagship Lounges. Delicious menus and premium drinks from local chefs are a major attraction.
AA Flagship First Dining is offered in partnership with the James Beard Foundation. Some major features are listed below.
- Elevated Sit-Down Service
- Signature Wines
- Chef-inspired Dishes
- Craft Beers and Spirits
- Locally Sourced Ingredients
- Hand-Crafted Cocktails
Flagship First customers on qualifying international or transcontinental flights have access to the Flagship First Dining Experience.
Flagship First Dining is available in select cities including Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) Terminal D, JFK Terminal 9, Los Angeles (LAX) Terminal 4 and Miami (MIA) Concourse D.
American Airlines Flagship First In-Flight Entertainment
American Airlines Flagship First Class passengers can relish free in-flight entertainment with the library of free movies, TV shows and music. AA In-flight entertainment comes with seatback and wireless streaming available on select aircraft.
The in-flight movies and TV shows are updated monthly to deliver a wide range of entertainment programs for passengers.
Besides, 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.
Furthermore, high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi is also available but is not free as you need to purchase it on almost all routes.
American Airlines Flagship First Menu
American Airlines offers chef-inspired in-flight dining with a multi-course meal and award-winning wines. The airline has partnered with the James Beard Foundation to offer exclusive cuisines designed by honoured chefs.
The food menu varies according to the flight route. For instance, Flagship First 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 snacks 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 First Class Review
American Airlines Flagship First offers a premium travel experience for international and transcontinental flights. For international flights, you will find Flagship First cabin service on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft only however, Airbus A321 Transcon (A312T) is equipped with Flagship First on transcontinental flights.
Let’s review the Flagship First Class flight from New York–JFK to LAX on the American Airlines A321T transcontinental flight.
As you reach the New York–JFK, your premium Flagship First Class experience begins right away with the Flagship First Check-in and Priority privileges. You will find a dedicated check-in area for faster processing.
Once you complete check-in, TSA and other entry processes, you can have access to the Flagship Lounge with the comfiest seating, food and beverages, Chef-inspired meals, Premium Wines, Personalized Service, Expansive seating, Specialty Cocktail Bar and Shower Suites.
There are 10 Flagship First Suite seats, 20 Flat-bed Flagship Business seats, 36 standard Main Cabin Extra seats and 36 standard Main Cabin seats on the American Airlines A321T. Economy seats are equipped with 3-3 configurations, Business Class with 2-2 and Flagship First with 1-1 configurations.
Once you complete the gate boarding and enter the A321T cabin, you will find Flagship First suites with 1-1 configuration. All the seats are lie-flat seats with spacious designs, storage spaces, USB Charging ports and power outlets. You will also get a pillow and a blanket with an amenities kit.
You can enjoy in-flight entertainment with varieties of movies, TV shows and music. Besides, you also receive noise-cancelling headphones designed by Bang and Olufsen. There is in-flight Wi-Fi available however, you need to pay applicable charges for using it.
Talking about the food options, you can enjoy a premium dining experience on Flagship First Class. The cabin crew will offer a complimentary drink before your flight. Besides, you can reserve your meal and place an order a few days before your flight after receiving an email from American Airlines.
Barbecue Short Rib, Grain and Greens Bowl, Mezze Rigatoni and Miso Saba Roasted Sea Bass are some of the popular menus available. Furthermore, you can order dietary specific meals like Asian Vegetarian, Diabetic meals, Child meals, Gluten Intolerant Meals, Low Fat/Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium and much more.
In a nutshell, American Airlines Flagship First Class on A321T is average with satisfactory First Class Flagship Lounge, comfiest seats, tasty foods and drinks, average in-flight entertainment and good service.
American Airlines Flagship First vs Business
American Airlines Flagship First is the most premium cabin service offered with exclusive and personalized amenities. It is specially designed for international and transcontinental flights.
Flagship First is more expensive than Business Class and offers the comfiest travel experience. This cabin service is available only on Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A321 Transcon (A321T) whereas Business Class is available on Airbus A319, Boeing 737-800 and B737 MAX 8.
All Flagship First seats are lie-flat seats and are commonly known as Flagship Suite seats. Business Class on 777-300 and 787 Dreamliner feature lie-flat seats whereas A319, 737-800 and MAX 8 are not equipped with lie-flat seats.
With Flagship First, passengers receive Flagship First Check-in, Priority Privileges, Flagship Lounge & Admirals Club Access, Flagship First Dining, Arrivals Lounge at LHR, Five Star Service, Lie-Flat Suite seats, amenities kit and other amazing premium services. Features are limited with Business Class as compared to Flagship First.
Talking about the food options, Flagship First offers Flagship First Dining with an exclusive fine-dining experience on the ground inside select Flagship Lounges and chef-inspired premium dining in-flight with a multi-course meal and award-winning drinks.
Conclusion
We explore American Airlines Flagship First in this article with features, amenities, baggage allowance, amenities, food and beverages, comparison with business class and much more.
For more detailed information, you can visit the airline’s official website.
Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between Flagship and First Class on American Airlines?
Flagship First is offered only on international and transcontinental flights with Boeing 777-300ER and A321 Transcon whereas First Class is meant for domestic flights between the U.S. 50 states.
What is Flagship First Check?
Flagship First Check-in service is provided by American Airlines in select cities with a private check-in process for the expedited check-in process.
Do you get Lounge Access with American Airlines First Class?
American Airlines passengers flying on Flagship First Class can access Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club.
Which is better Admirals Club or Flagship Lounge?
Flagship Lounge is more expensive than Admirals Club and offers more food choices and a premium experience.
