With just six months to go until American Airlines officially celebrates its centennial, the airline is unveiling a special livery that will begin flying in November on a Boeing 777-300 registered as N735AT.
This special Flagship® livery blends one of the airline’s original liveries with a modern flair as American will upgrade the aircraft to feature a new, more luxurious interior.
“American has thoughtfully chosen a design that evokes our rich history while looking ahead to our next 100 years,” said Ron DeFeo, American’s Chief Communications Officer. “Throughout American’s history, ‘Flagship®’ has always been recognized as our premium travel experience. Our renewed focus on the customer experience is making premium travel better than ever across all aspects of our customers’ travel journeys. Painting the original Flagship® design on our Flagship® aircraft is a powerful way to honour that legacy while embracing the future.”
Behind the design
At the base of the livery is the airline’s Silver Eagle® paint colour, which is currently found on more than 1,600 aircraft in American’s mainline and regional fleet. Across both sides of the aircraft, the iconic orange lightning bolt motif makes its bold reappearance after first debuting nearly 90 years ago on the Douglas DC-3. The DC-3 captivated passengers with American’s first foray into premium air travel experiences that the airline is now taking to new heights with its Boeing 777-300 aircraft flying to far-flung international destinations including Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and beyond.
When American took delivery of new DC-3 aircraft, they were named based on cities the airline served at the time. In keeping with tradition, American will name this aircraft “Flagship DFW” as an homage to the airline’s home and largest hub.
Toward the rear of the aircraft, customers will notice a roundel featuring one of the most recognizable motifs from American’s history: the eagle connecting the world. American flies to more than 350 global destinations today and operates more flights carrying more customers than any other airline in the world — a reminder of how far the airline has come since its first flight in 1926.
The Flagship Knoxville housed in the American Airlines CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.
Since American first took delivery of passenger aircraft in the 1930s, the airline has been known for offering an elevated “Flagship” experience first on board coast-to-coast transcontinental routes and today also includes the airline’s long-haul international network.
While customers recognize American’s premium Flagship® lounges and Flagship® Business class that have welcomed travelers for years, they will continue to enjoy the Flagship® experience next year, when the airline begins refreshing the interior of its Boeing 777-300 fleet to include Flagship Suite® seats.
American continues to focus on elevating the onboard customer experience to deliver a modern travel journey. After making their debut earlier this summer, the Flagship Suite® seats, Premium Economy and upgraded Main Cabin products continue to earn rave reviews from customers and are part of the airline’s commitment to innovation. Highlights include:
- The Flagship Suite® seats are American’s first-ever onboard business class product featuring privacy doors, wireless charging pads and a one-of-a-kind chaise lounge seating option with an adjustable headrest pillow.
- American is the first U.S. carrier to introduce wireless charging in Premium Economy, which includes the introduction of new headrest wings and new calf and footrests for enhanced comfort.
- Main Cabin customers will experience the airline’s elevated international inflight experience, including 4K QLED screens — the first in the U.S. to be introduced in this cabin — and USB-C and AC power.
These upgraded amenities will also be featured on board refreshed 777-300s next year, featuring 70 Flagship Suite® seats and 44 Premium Economy seats.