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American Airlines

Types of Travelers

Business Travlers

5/5

Great business class service

Family Traveler

2/5

Delay prone

Backpacker
Adventure Traveler

3/5

Decent selection of adventure destinations

Student
Budget Traveler

2/5

Competitive fares, but usually not the cheapest

Elderly
Disabled Traveler

4/5

Standard accessibility

Long Term Traveler

4/5

Great reach (global reach as member of OneWorld alliance)

Novice Traveler

3/5

Not the most user-friendly airline

Introduction

American Airlines is a true giant of the industry in terms of its size, reach and the number of passengers it serves.  It operates a large number of flights to and from some of America’s most important cities and also has regular flights Europe, Latin America and Asia.  AA is not usually recognized for its quality or customer friendliness, but it is generally on-par with other gigantic legacy carriers in the US (ranking below Continental and above Delta in a recent JD Power and Associates survey).  American has respected business class service and lots of miles-earning options.

AA started as American Airways, an alliance of small airlines in the late 1920s.  This organization merged into a single airline in 1934.  American Airlines started commercial trans-ocean flights in 1959 and has continued to move forward with expansion since then.


Ratings

Important Factors 3/5

Average Delay

77%

Cancelled Flights
(average per month)

1% on average, 2% on some routes

Customer Satisfaction Rating

3-star rating from Skytrax (higher ranking for business class services)

Types of Aircraft

Boeing 737, 757, 767, 777; MD 82,MD 83

General 3/5

Number of Domestic Flights (Daily)

81

Number of International Flights (Daily)

46 countries (76 total destinations)

Size of Fleet

621

Major Airports and Destinations Served

O’Hare, Dallas Fort Worth, NY JFK, Miami, LAX, Boston, Kansas City, Austin

Location of Hub

Chicago O’Hare, Miami, LAX, New York JFK, Dallas Fort Worth

Countries Served

US, England, Japan, China, Mexico, Brazil and South America, France and Western Europe, Dominican Republic and Caribbean

Number of Routes

260 (+ code sharing flights)

Most Popular Routes

Dallas to Chicago, New York to Dallas, Chicago to Los Angeles

In-Flight 3/5

Which Routes offer Meal Service?

$3-$4 snack packs on flights 2 hours or longer, $10 meals available on flights 3-hours or more. Free meals on international flights outside of North America

Food Quality

3/45

In-flight Menu

Brand name snacks and sandwiches (incl. Boston Market). Destination themed meals on international flights

Average Leg Room

30-33 inches

Types of In-flight Entertainment

Movies, NBC programming on long flights, multiple in-flight magazines, audio/music available

Baggage 2/5

Baggage Fees

$25, $35 for second, $100 each for additional baggage. At least one bag free on most int’l flights

Number of Bags Allowed

2

Weight Limits and Restrictions

50 lbs

Web Site 2/5

Online Check-in

Possible

Web Site Usability

fair

Special Needs 3/5

Handicap Accessibility

Standard accessibility

Pets

$100 carry-on, $150 checked

Special Offers /Partners 5/5

Airline Alliance Membership

Founding member of OneWorld Alliance

Hotel Partners

American Airlines Vacations, JetBlue, Major hotel chains and car rental agencies.

Competing Airlines

Continental, Delta, United, US Airways

Strengths
  • World-wide reach
  • Good business class service
  • Multiple flights to major locations each day

Weaknesses
  • High charges for food and baggage
  • Not user-friendly
  • Prone to delays and cancellations

Frequent Flier Program and Airport Lounges

AAdvanatage was one of the first airline loyalty programs in the world. The program has more than 50 million members worldwide. Members can redeem miles for flights, but also for hotel rooms, car rentals, and merchandise from AA’s partner companies. AA maintains Admirals Club lounges and Flagship lounges in airports around the country. Flagship Lounges are for Premium Class passengers, and the Admirals Lounges can be accessed by any AA passenger who is willing to purchase a one-time or yearly pass.

Conclusion

American Airlines is a giant airline. It has plenty to complain about (delays, a la carte pricing, sub-par service), but offers what most fliers are looking for in terms of flight and scheduling options. It has a huge reach with almost as many international destinations as domestic destinations. American offers fliers a good frequent flier program, a great selection of package vacations and plenty of other extras that almost make up for its bumbling in other areas. All criticism aside, American is an industry leader known for its firsts (first trans-Ocean commercial jet flight, first frequent flier program, first electronic ticketing system).