American Airlines is in discussions with both Airbus and Boeing to order up to 100 narrow-body aircraft.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the airline is currently in discussions with both planemakers to renew its narrow-body fleet with either the Airbus A320neo or Boeing 737 MAX aircraft families.
American Airlines currently has commitments for 165 aircraft, including four Airbus A321neo, 50 A321XLR, and 79 Boeing 737 MAXs, per ch-aviation.com data. However, its narrow-body fleet is aging, with the A320ceo and 737 NextGeneration (NG) families averaging an age of 16.6, according to data from ch-aviation.com.
If American Airlines were to finalize an order with either manufacturer, it would mark the second 100 single-aisle aircraft order by a United States (US)-based airline in the past few months.
In December 2022, United Airlines ordered 100 737 MAXs, split between the carrier exercising 44 options and ordering 56 new aircraft, while also ordering 200 787s (100 firm, 100 options).
American Airlines also spurred Boeing to launch the successor family to the 737 NG, the 737 MAX, after the airline ordered a total of 460 aircraft, split between 260 Airbus A320 family and 200 Boeing 737s, in July 2011. 100 of those were for 737s with new-generation engines, which Boeing eventually named the MAX.
According to ch-aviation.com data, the airline currently operates 70 Airbus A321neo and 51 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
While it was the only Big Four airline in the US to have operated profitably in Q1 2023, American Airlines has also had issues with debt. In Q2 2023, when its net profit was $1.3 billion, it estimated that by the end of the year, it will have a total debt of around $43 billion. At its peak, the airline’s debt was $54 billion in Q2 2021.