American Airlines has announced that it’s rolling out a redesigned mobile app, with some new features. Given that American trails the competition when it comes to tech, I suppose this is something we should be happy about.
In this post:
American redesigns mobile app, adds new features
American is introducing a redesigned mobile app, which should be rolled out through the end of May 2025 (so you can either force the update, or wait for it to happen naturally). It’s worth noting that this isn’t the finished product — the app immediately has a new look and feel, and the platform sets the foundation for future app upgrades and new features.
Here’s how Heather Garboden, American’s Chief Customer Officer, describes these changes:
“We’re dialed in to delivering on new ways to make our customers’ travels with us as easy as possible, so improving their most powerful tool — the app — is a significant focus of ours. Over the last year, our team has been taking feedback from customers to understand their pain points and wish lists to make sure we’re tailoring the next evolution of the app to deliver what they want most. This newly redesigned app is the first step in giving us a base that will allow us to continue to build and release new features so we can always deliver what customers value most.”
Here are the changes that American customers can expect to immediately see with the new app:
- A more personalized home screen that features upcoming trips and AAdvantage account information
- The ability to use the app seamlessly on an iPad
- A new section dedicated to AAdvantage members, with account information, plus information about status and miles
- A new section dedicated to all upcoming trips, plus intuitive options to review flight status and find a trip
- Easy-to-use navigation with a similar look and feel to other apps customers use in their daily lives
- Inspiration about destinations to which American flies and ways to engage with American’s partners
- iOS upgrades including “Live Activities” to display real-time flight updates on the lock screen
These new features are in addition to all the existing ones, like being able to check-in online, receiving a mobile boarding pass, accessing flight status, checking the status of checked bags, and much more.
This app update is a step in the right direction
I just updated the American app, and played around with it for a couple of minutes. My first impression is that it looks pretty nice, but it seems that for now, the changes are mostly cosmetic. I am happy to see American investing in its app, so I’d say this is a step in the right direction. I’m curious to see what new features American plans to add, as that hasn’t been announced.
Historically, American has greatly lagged the competition (in particular, United) when it comes to tech, and that’s true of both the website and app. In fairness, we’ve seen some nice incremental improvements to American’s app over time, and I don’t actually find the American app to be that bad to use. Really, my biggest complaint with the app has been how often it glitches, so if everything just works as it should, I’m a happy camper.
Just remember that the current app updates seem to largely be cosmetic, but pave the way for more improvements to be made over time, with this being used as the platform for doing so.
Bottom line
Between now and the end of May, those with the American mobile app should get an update that features a full redesign. But it sounds like that’s only the beginning, as the airline will progressively be rolling out new features, and I’m curious to see what those include.
What do you make of American revamping its mobile app, and what new features would you like to see?
Deleted the App 2 weeks ago and binned the last 1500 points in my account. Don’t care because am unlikely to fly AA again for several years.
My biggest complaint about AA's app has been that it won't allow you to check in to a flight close to the departure time (seems to be a 1 hr cutoff). I missed a domestic AA flight recently because the app wouldn't let me check in and the ticketing agent said that boarding had already finished--more than 20 minutes before departure. The salt in the wound was hearing a straggler get a last and final...
My biggest complaint about AA's app has been that it won't allow you to check in to a flight close to the departure time (seems to be a 1 hr cutoff). I missed a domestic AA flight recently because the app wouldn't let me check in and the ticketing agent said that boarding had already finished--more than 20 minutes before departure. The salt in the wound was hearing a straggler get a last and final boarding call over the PA 10 minutes after the ticketing agent had told be the door was already closed. It was a small, one-terminal airport and it would have been easy for me to clear security and make the flight if I had a boarding pass.
I've actually been thinking a cool post would be comparing some of the big airline apps and review them as you would a flight trip. For myself, my day of travel is probably exclusively dealt with in an app now and not so much in-person or at check-in kiosks so their functionality and appearances is the front door step of the brand/travel experience itself.
It’s a decent update, snazzy appearance. I appreciate the more “At a glance” view on the home page. Obviously as I’m not traveling today I won’t experience some of the new features yet, but one of the weak points in the app was how often it opened a browser within the app to complete certain tasks. Frankly, AA’s app is about as functional as Spirit’s. Squarely in the “good enough” category but nowhere near United’s....
It’s a decent update, snazzy appearance. I appreciate the more “At a glance” view on the home page. Obviously as I’m not traveling today I won’t experience some of the new features yet, but one of the weak points in the app was how often it opened a browser within the app to complete certain tasks. Frankly, AA’s app is about as functional as Spirit’s. Squarely in the “good enough” category but nowhere near United’s. As a byproduct of work I’ve flown Delta quite a bit this year and I don’t think their app is all it’s made out to be.
Baby steps, but don’t stop here please AA.
Hi Ben. I know this isn't relevant to the article, but I'm not sure of the best way to get messages to you.
AeroB13a is clearly Tim Dunn. Same writing style, same obsession with DL in UA stories that aren't relevant to DL, same insults to other posters. Even if it isn't, he's insulting other commenters and doing the same things that got Tim banned in the first place.
His comments can be seen...
Hi Ben. I know this isn't relevant to the article, but I'm not sure of the best way to get messages to you.
AeroB13a is clearly Tim Dunn. Same writing style, same obsession with DL in UA stories that aren't relevant to DL, same insults to other posters. Even if it isn't, he's insulting other commenters and doing the same things that got Tim banned in the first place.
His comments can be seen in the UA A321XLR article. Looks like he changed his IP address to avoid detection.
Wait a minute - did Tim Dunn get booted from this site?? I missed that, if that's the case. Wow.
Mark, your assumption that Tim Dunn and I are one and the same person is absolutely groundless and laughable.
You on the other hand, could be said to sound as if you are a reincarnation of let’s say the poster Plain Jane.
It would be so easy to accuse others of groundless ignorance, however, one simply asks you to prove that your accusation is correct.
You post: “His comments can be seen...
Mark, your assumption that Tim Dunn and I are one and the same person is absolutely groundless and laughable.
You on the other hand, could be said to sound as if you are a reincarnation of let’s say the poster Plain Jane.
It would be so easy to accuse others of groundless ignorance, however, one simply asks you to prove that your accusation is correct.
You post: “His comments can be seen in the UA A321XLR article. Looks like he changed his IP address to avoid detection”.
How could anyone except Ben, know about the IP address of someone who posts herein?
Are you not just making wild accusations in the manner of PJ?
Proof, if proof is necessary, should be easy to obtain from Ben, or, perhaps his website host.
Unless you can actually prove your wild accusations you would be best advised to wind your neck in …. whomever you are.
It would be great if AA can figure out how to add boarding passes to the wallet on my android phone. That is the update I am most interested in.
Can't say there's a whole lot new. What I would find helpful:
1. Status of incoming flight to say left gate, taxing for runway. The door can close and the plane can sit at the gate for another hour but the app says "awaiting takeoff."
2. More flight alternative for irregular operations. Most of the time only a small number of options are provided.
3. Really a wish item, status of missing...
Can't say there's a whole lot new. What I would find helpful:
1. Status of incoming flight to say left gate, taxing for runway. The door can close and the plane can sit at the gate for another hour but the app says "awaiting takeoff."
2. More flight alternative for irregular operations. Most of the time only a small number of options are provided.
3. Really a wish item, status of missing mileage requests. Seems to be often when flying on AS.
Overall, even now the app does what it needs to do.
Just to keep my particular friend Plain Jane happy, I will now post about AA and not DL.
It is the opinion of many international travellers who are UK based, that AA will have to do so more than simply upgrade their App, to improve their World Ranking in the commercial aviation market.
@Ben just go to the App Store and click on the app, do not click on the OPEN button. You should then be at the app page and be able to click UPDATE. I just did and am currently checking it out.
@ Sel, D. --Whoops, d'oh! Updated it now, and playing around with it. Thanks!
There are only two options:
Uninstall
Open
@justin dev, the App Store shouldn't have an uninstall option -- Sel's instructions for iOS are perfect.