Karryon was one of the first Australian media to tour American’s redesigned Premium Boeing B787-9P aircraft when it touched down at Brisbane Airport on 27 October 2025. Here is what to expect ahead of the resumption of direct seasonal services between Brisbane and Dallas-Fort Worth airports.
American’s enhanced B787-9P Dreamliner only debuted on the London-Chicago route on 5 June 2025, so it still has that fresh, new aircraft smell and pristine interiors.
A game-changer for the US airline, the Premium B787-9P aircraft features a full tip-to-tail redesign with the largest number of premium seats ever available, reconfiguring the layout from 285 seats to 244 to accommodate more business class options.
Tip-to-tail overhaul
American’s B787-9P offers 51 Flagship Suites (business-class), including eight Preferred Flagship Suites, taking up two whole cabins and offering more premium choice for long-haul flights.
The lie-flat seat, with its privacy door, one-of-a-kind chaise longue configuration and adjustable headrest, offers extra personal storage space, plush new bedding and pyjamas, a wireless charging pad, USB-C and AC power, Bang & Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones and just rolled-out Raven-Lily amenity kits.
Preferred Flagship Suite seats, taking up the first rows of each cabin, up the ante even more with 19 per cent more bed space and 42 per cent more living area.
In addition, the redesign flows throughout the aircraft with 32 Premium Economy, 18 Main Cabin Extra and 143 Main Cabin seats.
Premium Economy seats also elevate the experience with plenty of space in a 2x3x2 layout, plus calf and footrests, water bottle storage, new headrest wings for additional privacy, USB-C and AC power and wireless charging secured to seatbacks.
Main Cabin passengers can also expect USB-C and AC power and 4K QLED screens alongside Bluetooth connectivity to inflight entertainment. From January 2026, all AA Advantage members can enjoy free, high-speed Wi-Fi through Viasat.
Even the bathrooms have had a glow-up with the premium offering featuring a full-length mirror, pedal-activated bin and a soothing cloud motif inspired by window views.
The detail in the design
American’s Senior Vice President Customer Experience Design & Strategy Rhonda Crawford flew in from Dallas to share the carefully considered details of the aircraft’s enhancements – five years in the making.
The Premium Dreamliner is part of American’s end-to-end passenger experience, taking its colour palette and Americana design cues from its Flagship lounges with dark denim blue and saddle tan leather accents and stitching that reflects baseball mitts.
“The team has a lot of fun with this one, as you can imagine. Getting you from A to B, that is foundational but bringing the premium experience to life – I would say this is one of the most luxurious experiences you can have on a trans-Pacific route,” Crawford says.
Recent further premium inflight enhancements include the introduction of Bollinger Champagne and Lavazza coffee – all upgrades based on customer feedback.
Passenger demand for premium
Crawford says the American-Qantas partnership aims to attract more Americans to the region and vice versa, noting the intense competition between US carriers, particularly in the premium market post-pandemic, and passenger demand.
“I would say there’s an arms race for the premium customer. And it’s happening in the lounges, in food and beverage – it’s happening in the whole experience,” Crawford says.
“We’re already seeing the highest customer satisfaction and NPS (net promoter score) of any of our widebodies for this aircraft, and I’m even hearing a lot of anecdotal feedback that it really is the best-kept secret product that’s out there in the industry.
“So, it’s going to be a game-changer for us and for those on these extreme long-haul flights,” she says.
American-bound from Brisbane
Aussies can book the new Dreamliner (designated as B787-9P) on the Brisbane and Dallas-Fort Worth seasonal service, which returns from 27 October 2025 to 28 March 2026.
The Brisbane-Dallas-Fort Worth service will initially operate six times per week and then daily from December until March, departing BNE at 8:40am and touching down at DFW at 8:34am on the same day.
It will provide 69,296 seats across 284 flights during the season and is the longest route in Brisbane Airport’s network.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff says the new Dreamliner had plenty to offer US-bound passengers.
“We are thrilled to be the first destination in the South Pacific to welcome American Airlines’ new flagship Dreamliner. Across all aviation markets, we’re seeing growing demand for premium seating and this aircraft delivers in spades,” he says.
Partnering with Qantas, American will also operate thrice weekly flights between Brisbane and LA from December to January.
American will have eight redesigned B787-9P aircraft in the air by the end of this year and 30 in the fleet by 2030.
Read our review of American’s BNE-DFW Main Cabin experience here.
For more info, head to aa.com
