I've now flown American Airlines business class twice — LAX to Miami in July 2021, and Madrid to Dallas/Fort Worth in December 2023. Two very different routes, two different aircraft, and yet a remarkably consistent theme ran through both: a perfectly decent hard product, badly let down by service that ranged from indifferent to outright abrupt. If you're chasing a lie-flat seat across the Atlantic or the US, AA will get you there in comfort — just don't expect to feel especially wanted while it does.

Service: The Weakest Link

Let's start where it hurt most. Across both flights, the service was the standout disappointment. Trash left around my seat, uncollected, for long stretches of the flight. Empty glasses and wrappers that simply sat there until I dealt with them myself.

The flight attendants were abrupt on both occasions. There was no warmth, no sense that my custom was valued. As a oneworld Emerald, I'm used to at least a passing acknowledgement of status — a welcome, a "thanks for flying with us." On American, nothing. Not a word on either flight. It speaks to a wider culture: AA is not an airline that goes out of its way to make you feel special.

The Seat & Bedding: Where It Redeems Itself

Credit where it's due: the hard product is genuinely comfortable. Both flights offered a proper lie-flat seat with direct aisle access, which is exactly what you want for a long day or an overnight crossing.

The bedding was a highlight — at the time of both flights American was partnered with Casper. You get a plush pillow and a genuinely comfortable duvet, with a mattress pad on the longer international service. Worth noting for anyone booking now: American dropped Casper in 2024 in favour of John Horsfall bedding, which has had a decidedly more mixed reception.

Food: Perfectly Fine, Nothing More

The food was okay — that is about the highest praise I can offer. Meals were edible and reasonably presented. AA markets its chef-designed multi-course dining heavily, with a James Beard Foundation partnership on some routes, but nothing lingered in the memory for the right reasons. It did the job without ever threatening to impress.

Beverages: The Champagne Is Dire

And now, the champagne. Or whatever was masquerading as champagne. Frankly it is terrible — easily one of the worst premium-cabin pours I have had, and a genuine low point of the onboard offering. If bubbles are part of how you judge a business class, brace yourself. The wider drinks list is serviceable, but the fizz let the whole thing down.

A Note on Timing: Change Is Coming

Here's where I'll temper the criticism. American is in the middle of a serious premium push, and it's genuinely exciting. The airline has partnered with Champagne Bollinger, introducing Special Cuvée in its Flagship lounges and rolling it out onboard in Flagship Business and First — a night-and-day upgrade from the sparkling wine that so disappointed me. I've seen the Bollinger for myself in the Flagship First lounges on recent travels, and it's a completely different class of offering.

Alongside this, AA has been upgrading its seats, including the new Flagship Business Suites with sliding doors. So while my two flights left me cold, I'm optimistic. The building blocks of a proper premium experience are finally being put in place.