American Airlines Teases Large Airbus Order

American Airlines is edging closer to deciding on its next widebody order, and CEO Robert Isom says the contract should be finalised by the end of 2026, with Airbus and Boeing in contention.

However, while a contract would be finalised this year, any aircraft expected to be secured as part of the deal would not enter service until the early to mid-2030s as delivery slots become scarce and American builds slowly.

With ageing fleet types present, American Airlines has also teased that Airbus may have a strong role to play in the contract negotiations and replacement efforts part of the RFP that has been issued.

A Formal RFP & End Of 2026 Decision

American Airlines’ interest in a new widebody jet came following a 10 June 2026 shareholder meeting, where speaking Isom confirmed a formal request for proposal (RFP) had been put forward to Airbus and Boeing.

That RFP has since seen the U.S airline actively engage in conversations with the manufacturers over what their availability and options look like in terms of replacement and growth of widebody operations.

While American needs to replace jets and scale capacity, the aircraft it orders are also part of a broader effort to modernise the business and close what has become a multi-billion-dollar profit gap to rivals Delta and United following the COVID-19 pandemic.

With American Airlines having fallen back, being linked to new widebodies and finding ways to add more premium revenue, these are part of the many new investments being made to try and turn the tide back in the U.S. carrier’s favour.

Isom said that RFPs are in the market and evaluations are ongoing, with a decision likely to come before the end of the year, and the chief flagging that Airbus could play a big role in the eventual order is a noticeable comment.

The comment that Airbus could play a big role comes amid every widebody in the American fleet to date carrying a Boeing nameplate. Any contract signed with Airbus would mark a shift. The jets on order are for the 787 Dreamliners, but not any from the European manufacturer.

What’s Being Cut: The 777-200ER Fleet

Behind the RFP by American Airlines is a clear replacement and growth angle. The focus lies on the 47-strong Boeing 777-200ER fleet. These aircraft, which were delivered from the late 1990s onward, still form a strong part of the transatlantic and transpacific networks but are getting on in terms of age,

Isom has flagged the retirement of these 777s as scheduled for the next decade, and with the long lead times for new widebody jets, this means they must define what the replacement looks like sooner rather than later. That pressure to decide is something hitting the industry and pushing airlines to take risks to secure production slots even if they’re not ready to commit.

Before the 777s leave the fleet, however, they will see a final round of cabin upgrades to align with newer jets. But even with the upgrades, the economic reality of these jets won’t disappear: fuel burn, rising maintenance costs, and performance that lags behind much more modern designs.

With American Airlines having seen its long-haul margins drop, and this a focal point for renewal efforts to close the gap with competitors, it needs to invest heavily in the next-generation widebodies to see any positive progress.

Airbus can offer only one counter to the 777-200ER, and that’s the Airbus A350; the A350-900 is seen as a possible primary contender, offering similar capacity to the 777-200ER with long-range and still strong efficiency.

American has a history with the A350, as it inherited an order for this series from US Airways in 2013 but went on to cancel that in 2018. The cancellation led it to expand its 787 commitments, citing fleet simplification as the priority.

Now bringing Airbus into the RFP and saying that it could play a strong role mirrors Delta’s recent order for the Boeing 787, which also came after this carrier held an order for the jet and cancelled it. Similar to American, Delta’s 787 order from previous decades was inherited through a merger rather than placed on its own.

American Airlines will ultimately need to decide whether it wants to stick with pure commonality in the Boeing 787, or diversify its widebody mix by finally introducing the Airbus A350. While this will have associated costs, it may give the U.S carrier another opportunity to overhaul its service.