American Airlines is retrofitting its Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft to update cabin interiors and add more premium seating. The airline announced the fleetwide retrofit plans in March 2024. According to reports, the first retrofitted A319 entered service earlier this year, and the first retrofitted A320 is now flying passengers with the new interior configuration.
Across the changes described by the sources, the new A320 cabin features a refreshed design and additional first class capacity compared with the prior layout. The updates also include larger overhead bins and a revised look throughout the cabin. However, the retrofit maintains the airline’s overall seating tradeoff: it adds more space and seats for premium passengers without eliminating the coach cabin entirely.
Both outlets characterize the coach experience as more constrained, with tighter spacing in economy after the retrofit. The company’s approach therefore focuses on improving premium amenities and modernizing the cabin while preserving coach service, resulting in a smaller or more compact economy section than before.
