American re-enters the widebody race as Delta and United pull ahead

For nearly a decade, American Airlines watched from the sidelines while its two biggest rivals quietly stockpiled long-haul jets. That changed this week.

At the carrier's annual shareholders meeting on 10 June, chief executive Robert Isom confirmed that American has issued a request for proposals to both Airbus and Boeing for a new generation of widebody aircraft, its first such order since committing to the Boeing 787 in 2018. Isom framed the move as routine long-term planning, noting that the carrier intends to retire its ageing Boeing 777 fleet sometime in the 2030s and that widebody production cycles demand early commitments.

The diplomatic framing only partly conceals how far American has fallen behind. During the pandemic the carrier shed roughly 40 per cent of its long-haul fleet, eliminated its Airbus A330s entirely and even deferred deliveries of 787-9s it had already ordered. The result was a airline that pivoted heavily towards domestic flying, leaning on partner hubs in London, Tokyo and Sydney to carry international passengers, while Delta and United expanded their own global maps.

American currently holds 19 widebodies on firm order, all 787-9s, plus options on further aircraft. Its active fleet of roughly 45 ageing 777-200ERs, now approaching 25 years of service, represents the most pressing replacement question. Analysts expect the contest to narrow to the 787-10 and the Airbus A330neo, with the larger A350 and uncertified 777X seen as less likely fits for a carrier wary of very high-capacity jets.

The clock is the complication. Both manufacturers carry order backlogs stretching well into the 2030s. Isom is betting American's commercial weight secures earlier slots, but every month of delay sharpens the pencils on both sides of the negotiation.