Fort Worth-based American Airlines confirmed on Wednesday that it is in talks with Airbus and Boeing to buy new jets.
The airline wants to order at least 100 and possibly 200 narrowbody jets, Bloomberg News reported.
“We are talking to Boeing and Airbus about our narrowbody aircraft needs for the latter half of this decade and beyond,” American said in a statement to Bloomberg.
Airbus stated, “We have no comment on our confidential commercial talks, which may or may not be happening.”
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
“Due to the young age of our aircraft, our fleet replacement needs are very limited. Therefore, we expect aircraft capex for the next several years and likely through the end of the decade to average about $3.5 billion per year,” American said during an investor call last month, as reported by Reuters.
Bloomberg also reported that 255 of American’s workhorse jetliners were near the 20-year-old mark, at which point maintenance costs soar.
American is considering Boeing’s 737 Max and Airbus’ A321neo to replace aging 737-800, A319, and A320 single-aisle models late this decade, the news outlet said.
The order may be worth around $6 billion, Bloomberg reported.
Meanwhile, American confirmed over the weekend that it’s sending its special Airbus A321T between New York and Las Vegas on just four flights this November.
The 102-seat three-cabin jet, which fits 228 passengers, has one of the most luxurious layouts in the domestic market, reported The Points Guy, a site dedicated to aviation industry and airline loyalty program-related news.
The plane has a 10-seat first-class cabin, a 20-pod business-class cabin, and a 72-seat economy section, arranged in a Main Cabin Extra configuration.
It is usually reserved for premium cross-country routes, such as Boston and New York in the East to Los Angeles and San Francisco in the West.
American is planning to take passengers from New York to Las Vegas and back for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 16-18.
