- I've previously avoided flying on American Airlines, but my last two flights have changed my mind.
- American's Airbus A319 and Embraer 175 planes were spacious, comfortable, and took off right on time.
- The company's regional product outshines competitors and has become my favorite jet to fly on.
I've had terrible experiences with every major US airline, from delays and bad customer service to hard seats and broken tray tables.
But, over the past few years, American Airlines always stood out as being consistently unpleasant, including flight disruptions and poor customer service.
One instance from last June particularly stood out, which involved me fighting for a new flight from Colombia to Miami after the carrier canceled my nonstop to New York's JFK airport.
Others may love American, and it's possible I just had bad luck every time, but, nevertheless, it made me dread flying the carrier.
However, since the start of 2022, I've flown the airline twice. Surprisingly, both experiences exceeded expectations and the service and comfort have changed my mind about flying American.
I took two different American flights two weeks apart — the first from Washington DC's Reagan National Airport to New York's LaGuardia Airport on an Airbus A319 mainline aircraft…
…and the second from LaGuardia to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on an Embraer 175 regional jet.
Going into the first flight, I had low expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the service and ease of the flight. In DC, the check-in process using the kiosks was smooth and I was through security and at the gate in 15 minutes.
I was able to get my boarding pass at the airport, but also had it in my iPhone's wallet app. Fortunately, I flew on a Tuesday evening so the flight was only about half full and boarding took no time.
I was assigned seat 18F, which was a window, and luckily there was no one next to me so I was able to spread out a bit.
However, the seats were plenty spacious for the one-hour flight. According to SeatGuru, American's A319 Main Cabin seat pitch is 30 inches.
Source: SeatGuru
While that seems narrow, I did not feel confined or uncomfortable like I have on other carriers. For reference, I'm about 5'4" and on the smaller side, so I'm able to fit in tight spaces easier.
For those that are pushing six feet, it may be beneficial to upgrade to American's Main Cabin Extra on the A319 since it has 34 inches of pitch.
In addition to the roominess, I liked the headrests on each seat, which I find are a good alternative to a neck pillow, which I've never enjoyed using. I especially appreciate the headrest for flights where I'm stuck in the aisle or middle seat, making it easier to sleep.
As far as the seat padding, it was nothing special compared to other carriers, though still plenty more comfortable than low-cost competitors like Spirit or Frontier.
American's A319 also delivered in terms of overhead bin space, which easily stored my suitcase.
Meanwhile, the tray table was large enough to work on my laptop and store snacks. It also had a placeholder for a drink, which is a small detail but still appreciated.
Although I was a little disappointed that there were no inflight entertainment screens, the carrier did add a few nice amenities, including a power outlet and WiFi…
...a comfortable recline...
…and streaming to my personal device.
After getting comfortable, we pushed back from the gate right on time at 5:00 pm and enjoyed a smooth flight to New York City.
Unfortunately, due to the short duration of the flight, there was no inflight service, though I was offered water, and I snacked on some food I brought with me.
After my positive experience from DC to LaGuardia, I went into my flight to Montreal with higher hopes. And, once again, American delivered.
After traversing the new LaGuardia Airport for the third time this year, I made my way to Gate 42 to board the American's Embraer 175, which has recently become my favorite jet to fly on.
The flight was operated by one of American's regional partners, Republic Airways.
The boarding process was quick and I was at my seat in no time. Fortunately, I did get upgraded to Main Cabin Extra during check-in, moving from row 23 to 12, and I got the whole row to myself.
The seat pitch was 34 inches, according to SeatGuru, but it felt bigger. Again, I'm pretty short so most seats are spacious for me, but I was able to stretch my legs all the way out without kicking the seat in front of me.
Source: SeatGuru
While I had the entire row to myself, the reason I love regional planes is the 2x2 configuration. Either way, I'd get an aisle or window, meaning no getting stuck in the dreaded middle seat.
Regardless of which seat I'm in, I know it'll be comfortable, which is a massive bonus to flying on American's Embraer 175s. The seats themselves are large and fluffy, outshining most other products I've experienced.
Specifically, the back of the seat and the headrest were bulky and fully padded, making them much more comfortable than the A319.
Moreover, according to SeatGuru, the plane I was on had over 18 inches of width in both regular economy and the extra legroom seats, which gives even larger passengers plenty of room.
Source: SeatGuru
As far as inflight entertainment, the plane did not have TV screens, though I was able to stream shows and movies on my laptop, which easily fit on the tray table.
However, I was a little annoyed at the seat's deep recline. The person in front of me fully reclined, which I don't mind, but it forced me to practically set my laptop on my legs because it could not open if it sat on the tray table.
Fortunately, the Main Cabin Extra seats provide enough room to cope with the deep recline, though I'm not sure how much space would still be available in regular economy. This would be the one flaw I have with American's Embraer 175.
While there was no inflight service on the one-hour A319 flight, the Embraer flight attendants did provide a quick food and beverage service onboard, which included pretzels and a drink, like tea, water, coffee, and orange juice.
I opted for coffee on the early morning flight to Canada.
While the flight was only an hour or so, I appreciated the jet had WiFi and power outlets, including a USB port.
I was also impressed with the lavatory on the regional jet, which proved to be very roomy. I was able to stand and move around without bumping against the walls.
Like my A319 flight, the plane took off right on time, and we even got to Montreal ahead of schedule.
I enjoyed taxiing along the snowy Canadian airport and even saw a brand new SWISS A220 that likely just came off the Airbus assembly line.
Overall, I was impressed with both flights and would be happy to spend more than just an hour or so onboard. I think the product is comfortable and appreciate the added amenities that have been absent from previous jets.
Moreover, the on-time performance of both flights has increased my confidence in American's reliability and customer service.
In fact, the airline's new CEO, Robert Isom, vowed to get passengers to their destination with minimal disruptions this summer, according to CNBC.
Source: CNBC
"People really need to feel like they have control of their itineraries and we give them control by making sure they get to where they want to go on time," Isom told pilots during a company town hall last week, which was reviewed by CNBC. "I just can't be any more blunt about it than that. Other airlines are really struggling."
Source: CNBC
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