I flew AA First Class on their DC 10 service from San Juan, PR to DFW in the 1990's. It was not a lie flat service, but the service and attention from the FA's was great. I don't remember a meal, but I do remember I got to order a Chocolate Sundae with all the trimmings. That was wonderful! As a Non-Rev flyer, I had a choice to sleep over at JFK, or, take an AA Red Eye to LA, then a flight back to DFW. I chose to sleep in the PanAm Terminal at JFK instead, as the AA Terminal was much too busy, even at 12am. The next morning I caught a cab to LaGuardia (passing right by Shea Stadium, where The Beatles played in 1965!!) for the first flight out to DFW. I chose 1st class, but I slept most of the way, without eating the scrambled eggs offered.
@Jeb I just got back from going to New York to see my daughter sing at Carnegie hall. Traditionally, when I have flown in the past I have always gotten really motion sick. However, this time I decided to go flying as I have seen you do in your videos. You always treat it as an adventure. This time flying was so much more of a breeze. I didn't get as motion sick and in fact I had one of the best times flying since I was kid. Jeb thank you for helping me to see travel not as an obstacle to get over but as something to enjoy. I am now looking forward to seeing my daughter sing in Australia this summer and I am already looking forward to the economy trip as well. Thank you again!
We just flew Jetblue Mint from San Diego to Boston the other day. I really don't see a lot of difference between AA's first class and Mint, except of course for the lounge access. I'm glad I watched this video because you always wonder if you made the right choice when flying cross country and now I know. Thanks.
I flew flagship first on the same route but in reverse. I was upgraded while waiting at the gate. It was such a great experience! Maybe not worth an extra 1000 to me but being able to lay flat on a red eye was certainly very nice to experience.
I flew on an American flight from LAX to JFK and then to GIG in Rio. First plane was a A321TC and the next was a 777. Flights back were both 787s. They still have have 4 classes, main cabin, main cabin extra, premium economy (what business used to be), and then business class with lay flats. First really seems to have just become a marketing tool and isn't worth the added cost above business class anymore.
I fly for AA and the 321T is a nice lighter version to fly! Hopefully our new business will shine and put the product back in the map! Definitely excited for our XLR 321s which will give us longer legs over the Atlantic!
@@bullpro6308 hopefully not, but who knows. As long as we can get the 321 into group 3 pay like the 757/76 was, maybe. Already doing 6hr long flights across the country or to HI.
Good luck. As a longtime AA customer, I've seen the quality of the PASSENGER decline to darn near the bottom. Service is generally good. Lounges are now just crowded holding pens for animals in many cities. Disgusting. Oh, well. There's no real choice anymore. Just a sad race to the bottom. Soon it'll be what busses have become, flying cattle cars. How sad.
@@hanj31 Why would they do that? The 321XLR trades quite a bit of payload for range, and domestic transcontinental routes are well within any A321's range. If anything, they might add A321XLR's alongside the current A321T aircraft if they plan on flying narrowbodies overseas.
@@kelly2631the 321T's would be converted into two class config just like the rest of AA's narrowbody fleet. The 321XLR would be the perfect plane because it will have updated cabin with business and premium economy and it doesnt require much payload on a route like JFK-LAX or SFO. AA would have enough XLR's in ration to fly transatlantic and transcon.
Those planes will be going into 196-seat configuration. The 321XLR will be replacing the A321T in that role, and they will also be doing thin trans-con out of JFK that the 757 previously did.
@@kelly2631 sorry to break your bubble of superiority, AA has officially announced that all 321T will be reconfigured to normal 321 Kodak layout, and the XLR will take over transcon
delta's "free" wifi only allows passengers to use messaging apps. To be fair is better than nothing but only works a handful of times based on my experience
The AA wifi is $25 for JFK-SNA. While abit pricey, it works well. You can stream RUclips or Netflix while traveling. You cant do that with Southwest Wifi.
Honestly I believe just the tags "First Class" is a name that hold so much weight when you say it out loud. "First-Class experience", "First- Class service", or "First-Class dining" is the idea that a person is gaining access to something that is special and well worth the price of admission. And you're right with what you said at the end of this video, it seems like the era of "First Class" anything is gone in aviation.
I ask me dad about this. He said that it because the first class is the first section of when you walk in aeroplane. I think in the older days when airplane had propeller, you had a second class (which is like business of today), then you had a third class which is back of plane. So the third class is coach of today. So it has nothing to do with name when you say out loud. It is about the section of the plane and the size of seats, windows and stuff like that
Hey Jeb, your reviews are fantastic. Love it pal, I'll never be in a position to travel like this but I love to watch it, cheers to you and your lovely wife, all the best from Scotland x
So an economy ticket was $300 and you paid $1300? For a flight that's 5 hours, that's a premium of $200 per hour for some extra legroom and free food. I don't think business first is worth over 4x what an economy ticket is valued at
Jeb probably paid for it with points or got an upgrade due to aa status. I flew singapore suites which would have cost 18,000 dollars from NY to Singapore and paid 40$ for the flight. Kinda makes it worth it when you pay 5% of an economy fair for a bedroom in the sky.
There is something special about flying First Class or Business Class. I enjoy flying so much more when I'm comfortable and when the level of service is a cut above. It's nice to see that American Airlines is still flying a product they can be proud of. Thank you for sharing your most recent travel experience.
I'm Executive Platinum on American Airlines so I get upgraded to First and Business frequently and agree it's the only way to fly. I just wish the food was as good as the comfortable seats. It seems that since Covid they never brought back full service. Just took trips to Madrid and Berlin and the Business Class food was unbelievably mediocre.
awesome video as always! crazy to think in the 2000s these routes were operated by wide bodies, and monsters like dc10s and L1011s in the 90s. how times have changed!
It's interesting to look at the hijacked flights on 9/11 and the load factors. American 11, a 767-200, had 92 people on board. United 175 had only 65. Those were the days before airlines optimized their flight forecasts to ensure high load factors on practically every flight.
@@derbagger22 nowadays one has to be more selective with flight choices, I mean JFK-LHR is a route suited for 747s and A380s while today some flights are operated by the A321LR
I hope you have a flight to MCI booked sometime in March! I toured the new terminal today during the open house, and it's a 1,000% improvement over the old terminals. There's a Delta Sky Club, too!
Great video J & S also I love seeing that A321T in Flagship First Class but as you mentioned lie flat Business is becoming the normal standard and also the “Domestic First Class” on AA like their 737s and A321s still looks awesome and I cannot wait to fly on their new Wide body international Business Class product it looks epic and I’m sorry to say it looks like an improvement over even “First” class now! 😂😊 Cheers 🥂 Caleb’s Aviation
I will be Traveling Transcon JFK-SFO next week in First Class. Then DFW-LHR on 777 First Class in April. I am glad to be able to try them before its all gone.
Being the child of a long time American Airlines employee, I spent many many an hour at LAX through my childhood and early adulthood. Funny thing is is that Terminal4 at LAX was refurbished in 2000 from its old 1960 motif. And now they are looking at another refurbishment.
I'll be flying flagship first of the 777-300ER from LAX- Sydney in September. Glad I had the miles and the opportunity to book it before it disappeared
I've done this first-class check-in at LAX and really love it. The headphones for first class do the trick for me to help me sleep without turning on any audio on redeyes. I appreciated this video as I have a flight on a 321T and thought the exit was behind business class like a 777-300. I have a brief layover between JFK > MIA and moved to the first row to get out ASAP. I'll try the new shared lounges on a later flight with the same routing later this year but a more relaxing layover.
This is the real "First Class" under a traditional 3-Class Configration and rare to be seen in a narrow-body aircraft. Clearly remembered I used 32.5K AA Miles to get this first class seat in Jan.2016, which was a beautiful memory and a lifetime experience... Unfortunately, AA miles devalued signifitantly after my redemption and I had the feeling I am unable to take it again... Just remember, in most scenario of our life, first time is the last time.
My greatest experience on an airline was flying first class from JFK to Rio Brazil on an American Airlines DC-10 back in the 90s. It was amazing. I still have the leather shaving/amenity bag they gave you. Sad to see it go
Flew first class as an upgrade once. Service was on a seriously tired MD-80. The seats in front of me looked like a dog had chewed on them. Beverage service was in a real glass, but same offerings as economy. I didn’t expect much, and boy did they deliver.
Another great video, thank you for sharing! You should have your own Travel Channel show, also a LOT more subscribers! Hope to see it some day, thanks and god bless
Thank you for your video. I'm flying JFK - LAX in first class, thanks to your video. I didn't know they are discontinuing this product. I got last minute web special deal. ( 45k per person ) I had Delta award ticket LAX to JFK and back. 1. I held the AA ticket 2. Called Delta and canceled the return flight 3. Booked AA ticket for 90K ( for 2 pax ) + $10 in fee out going Delta main lax - JFK. 28000 miles delta Returning JFK - Delta : 45k Thanks for indept review. was debating between business and first. snaged first for 10k more points.
Mere mortals like most of us will never get to experience such extravagant amenities in an aircraft. I’ve always had to fly in coach packed like a sardine and don’t expect that to change in my lifetime.
Hey Jeb Brooks! So sad that the flagship first is going away, you should review the new business on Americans 787s when it comes out!! Can’t wait for that video
I fly Business Class weekly with AA. DFW is my hub, so I experience Flagship Lounge in DFW, ORD and MIA because I have the ever mysterious ConciergeKey status. The Flagship Lounges are decent for the most part. The eggs alone (for breakfast) are significantly better than the eggs in the Admirals Lounge. The other items in the self-serve food stations are also decent to good. They also have “chefs” making the odd meals (omelets, waffles, etc). Some of the travelers in Flagship Lounge are usually getting their drink on/lit post lunch and it’s kind of fun to people watch sometimes (especially at the Bloody Mary station). The servers generally do a great job and deserve more praise from some of the snobs in Flagship Lounge. Work wise, it’s subpar to the Admirals Lounge though. In flight, Business is either meh to decent/good. It all depends on the Flight Attendants. Some are super chill and happy to be there, others are phoning it in and have attitudes. I know their jobs aren’t easy dealing with humans, so I give them some grace.
Great vlog as always! Now I have not flown coast to coast in the US for almost, hold on, 30yrs! Narrow body on a service like this I was never a fan of, so I tried as much as posible to widebody like 767, A-300/A-310. The 757 was better than a 737. In my days I flew TWA and NW, but I very much felt at home, first with PI and then US. I miss them. Alot! Could AS be my new US? AA I have only flown once onboard a F-100 ORD-MSP that did not land due to bad weather. UA is more than ok since they are a partner with my airline SK. The old CO was also fine. They did stink in the 80s. DL I have not flown for 30yrs after the takeover the PA routes. They was so bad. Worse than CO if you ask me. Keep up the good work. Be safe!
Jeb great review I’ve flown the AA Flagship First service between JFK and LAX and it was good although I thought it to be a bit overrated and I knew the Purser. However Delta at onetime offered 3 classes of service on its L-1011’s back in the day with First Business and Coach. I flew them between FRA and JFK after they acquired the route from PanAm on the L1011-500 one of my favs and it was a great experience, until they did away with it in favor of Business Elite back in the 90’s. To be honest I prefer Delta One on transcon flights as Delta uses wide body aircraft’s like the 767-300/400ER’s and one flight a day with the A330neo and it’s Delta One Suites. I’d love to see a review on that bird and tell us what you think of the A330-900 neo’s suites on a domestic flight. Especially compared to JB mint on its A320/321 vs United Polars 787-10 and AA’s transcon business class A321T. Happy trails fly safe and I enjoyed your Delta First from Boston to SFO with the A321neo that had the emergency landing. To bad we didn’t get a Jeb score on that one cause I’m not a fan that they don’t offer Delta One on transcon flights out of Boston, 37” pitch lost me. Thank God my hometown airport is premium heavy JFK. Fly safe buddy and hope to see you on a flight one day. Don’t get scared if I bug out lol 😂 and keep’ m coming 🥂🍾✈️
Just flew the product last week from JFK to SFO. I avoided the $1,200+ price tag by paying with Etihad Guest miles, costing only 25,000 points. For that price, plus only $15 in taxes and fees, it was a very worthwhile experience that I’d gladly do again Also 3:58 isn’t totally accurate, since there is still a distinction in lounges at JFK. The Chelsea lounge is only for Flagship First, and includes some of the best in airport dining I’ve ever had!
Not paying for it is exactly why they are discontinuing it. Few actually pay for AA flagship first. It's mostly miles, upgrades for corporate business class accounts etc. Wasted space on the plane
@@johniii8147With that logic they will phase out their whole business because the people who were using points for first will just start using them for business class and economy. Which will be even cheaper with points than first was.
@@carryeveryday910 No that doesn't really make any sense. I don't think you really understand how the points game works for the airlines. A carrier like AA makes far more money off selling miles to CC's and other partners than they do on the actual flying on a margin basis. The airlines also have full control on points booking availability and how many points you need.
Four class service? First, business, and main cabin. Huh? After the change, the airplanes will be in the same configuration just then called business, premium economy, and main cabin. SAME prices or higher for each seat as now. Better service? Don't count on it. This change is for them; not us seat fillers.
I find it interesting they are doing away with first class considering how much revenue they make with these seats but in today’s economy I can see why they care choosing to get rid of it. Great video as always!
I have been to that Flagship First lounge at LAX and totally love it. The food and views are great there. I’m looking forward to trying the new suites. At least AA is trying something new❤️✈️
I'm flying American "First" tomorrow from Orlando to Dallas.....It'll be interesting to see what the differences might be. And how the Admirals Club stacks up....
You'll only have access to Admirals Club if if you have a membership or access via one of their high end credit cards. F on the route doesn't get you club access.
I'm only one minute in, and I have to ask you, Jeb...did you make a significant upgrade to your camera? The amount of image definition is, frankly, jaw dropping. I've watched nearly every single one of your trip videos and the video quality here looks like 4K at a minimum...okay, now to finish watching it.
Great video mate, interesting to see 4 classes being offered on a narrow body domestic flight. Ansett and Qantas used to offer first class domestically here in Australia when I first started in the industry (1995) but scrapped it at least 20 years ago.
I might have a stupid question about headphones. How do the Bluetooth headsets connect on a plane. Last time I flew I still used the typical 3,5mm jack.
So is the LAX flagship first dining lounge permanently closed? I will be flying flagship first from LAX to SYD in about 6 weeks and was looking forward to this. I will be on the 777-300ER with the swivel seat… and then on the return on a 787-9 in flagship first. Also, is there a time limit in the lounge? I have a 7 hour layover outbound and 12 hr return. Thanks for the awesome video!
I was hoping you'd take AA Flagship First on an international flight/widebody -- I haven't done that yet (always took BA F instead), and it has cool stuff like a rotating seat with desk.
I flew Flagship First from MIA to LAX last February on the triple 7. The Flagship Dining did not open until 1 pm, and our plane left at 1:10 pm. The onboard experience was spectacular especially compared to the normal American experience. Sadly the IFE and Wi-Fi were out the entire flight, and we had bad turbulence for 2/3rds of the flight. Glad I flew it when I could because, as of November 1st, there is no more Flagship service at all between the two cities and no 777, only the A321. Not sure if they will bring back the widebodies in the summer schedule.
In many countries, eployers no longer provide "first class" tickets to employees flying on business, and some might provide it for intercontinental but not domestic. So airlines basically did away with F tickets and upgraded J class to first class seats/service. To the airline, it depends how many in the First Class cabin actually paid for first class vs how many using FF points to get the upgrade. For some airlines, providing premium on domestic routes is important when that rote allows one to do full intercontinental trip in the class they wanted. If you want first to Singapore, but forced to fly in business or even coach on the domestic leg, that really removes value from service especiually if another airline offers a non stop and all in first to Singapore.
Oh Jeb, since they are “sunsetting” this service wouldn’t it have be better to fly Westbound? It would have been a longer flight, with more time to enjoy the service and you would have been flying into the sunset as the “sun sets” on this service! I think I’m going to 😢. Great job as always.
What about Flagship Business transcon? I'm planning on flying to LA next April......will AA still have the A321 Transcon or will I have to go Delta One?
You don't get flagship check in with a ticket on a oneworld partner (excluding BA at JFK T8) so sadly I don't think it will stick around very long, even though they are renovating the space at MIA right now. Although you do get access as OW Emerald and AA Elite on certain routes, so it's not just flagship first. I love the seperate check in as the agents have always been super helpful, even when on a basic economy ticket.
The true attractiveness of the first class is exactly the flagship first dining, with lobster and premium steak, with value ~$150 in a Michelin restaurant outside. It was way better than the meal in-flight. However, after the shut-down of the flagship first dining, this fist class does not worth its price anymore.
To clarify, the meal service is the biggest change that is going away when the new Flagship Suite is rolled out. The tabletop ware will be changed to the standard domestic offering with a downgrade in meals. It's not clear whether they will keep the Casper comforter and full sized pillow or downgrade to the small blanket and bolster pillow. The meals on the Flagship First are an improvement from the current business class food offering. You will not see that perfect salmon ever again. The appetizer and salad will be preplated and there will only be one choice with the Flagship Suite. The Flagship First meals are plated by hand, the Flagship Suite will be preplated. The wine choice in Flagship First is the only one that offers a dessert wine, which will go away with Flagship First/Flagship Suite transition. Small changes will also be: no more cute salt and pepper grinders, no more balsamic/olive oil bottle, no more metal silverware/napkin holder, no more whipped butter, no more stemmed glassware (including the stemmed ice cream sundae bowl), no more white tablecloth, no more chef style garnishes. Basically the setup you see on the standard domestic first class tray meal will be the same. Same stemless glassware, silverware, plateware, tray cloth, napkins and the standard wrapped butter. Also, no more beautiful garnishes like those carrots and shallots and sourdough croutons on the soup. They may do a menu overhaul in the future but AA will save a lot of $ eliminating the Flagship First Class menu for the transcon service and making it the same as they do for the standard business class service. The massive tray table will be gone as well. The Flagship Suite has a fair amount of space for your things but they are small separate spaces. I hope that gives you a better idea of what to expect.
I felt like I got to experience this trip right along with you. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming along!
I flew AA First Class on their DC 10 service from San Juan, PR to DFW in the 1990's.
It was not a lie flat service, but the service and attention from the FA's was great. I don't remember a meal, but I do remember I got to order a Chocolate Sundae with all the trimmings. That was wonderful!
As a Non-Rev flyer, I had a choice to sleep over at JFK, or, take an AA Red Eye to LA, then a flight back to DFW. I chose to sleep in the PanAm Terminal at JFK instead, as the AA Terminal was much too busy, even at 12am. The next morning I caught a cab to LaGuardia (passing right by Shea Stadium, where The Beatles played in 1965!!) for the first flight out to DFW. I chose 1st class, but I slept most of the way, without eating the scrambled eggs offered.
1990s*
FAs*
@@ChapatiMan Its literally the same thing
@Jeb I just got back from going to New York to see my daughter sing at Carnegie hall. Traditionally, when I have flown in the past I have always gotten really motion sick. However, this time I decided to go flying as I have seen you do in your videos. You always treat it as an adventure. This time flying was so much more of a breeze. I didn't get as motion sick and in fact I had one of the best times flying since I was kid. Jeb thank you for helping me to see travel not as an obstacle to get over but as something to enjoy. I am now looking forward to seeing my daughter sing in Australia this summer and I am already looking forward to the economy trip as well. Thank you again!
We just flew Jetblue Mint from San Diego to Boston the other day. I really don't see a lot of difference between AA's first class and Mint, except of course for the lounge access. I'm glad I watched this video because you always wonder if you made the right choice when flying cross country and now I know. Thanks.
I flew flagship first on the same route but in reverse. I was upgraded while waiting at the gate. It was such a great experience! Maybe not worth an extra 1000 to me but being able to lay flat on a red eye was certainly very nice to experience.
Seen exceptional reviews and Josh cathill airline reviews are THE BEST . Worth watching every one of it.
I flew on an American flight from LAX to JFK and then to GIG in Rio. First plane was a A321TC and the next was a 777. Flights back were both 787s. They still have have 4 classes, main cabin, main cabin extra, premium economy (what business used to be), and then business class with lay flats. First really seems to have just become a marketing tool and isn't worth the added cost above business class anymore.
Great video, as always. Thank you to you and Suzanne for sharing your experience with us. Take care.
I agree. Living in LA, the American terminal needs an upgrade. It just isn’t like any of the other terminals at lax.
Indeed. It has for a while. It dates back to 1961 and the last renovation was 20 years ago now.
Terminal 5 is awful too
I fly for AA and the 321T is a nice lighter version to fly! Hopefully our new business will shine and put the product back in the map! Definitely excited for our XLR 321s which will give us longer legs over the Atlantic!
Sounds lovely! I can definitely think of some new AA transatlantic routes!
You're excited for a 2manned crew over the atlantic?
@@bullpro6308 hopefully not, but who knows. As long as we can get the 321 into group 3 pay like the 757/76 was, maybe. Already doing 6hr long flights across the country or to HI.
Good luck. As a longtime AA customer, I've seen the quality of the PASSENGER decline to darn near the bottom. Service is generally good. Lounges are now just crowded holding pens for animals in many cities. Disgusting. Oh, well. There's no real choice anymore. Just a sad race to the bottom. Soon it'll be what busses have become, flying cattle cars. How sad.
@@bullpro6308 Most Trans Atlantic flights as well as other long hauls have mostly 2 crew flight decks..
I hope they at least keep the lie flat business class seats on the A321T. And goodbye economy seats with IFE
The A321T will be replaced by the A321XLR
@@hanj31 Why would they do that? The 321XLR trades quite a bit of payload for range, and domestic transcontinental routes are well within any A321's range.
If anything, they might add A321XLR's alongside the current A321T aircraft if they plan on flying narrowbodies overseas.
@@kelly2631the 321T's would be converted into two class config just like the rest of AA's narrowbody fleet. The 321XLR would be the perfect plane because it will have updated cabin with business and premium economy and it doesnt require much payload on a route like JFK-LAX or SFO. AA would have enough XLR's in ration to fly transatlantic and transcon.
Those planes will be going into 196-seat configuration. The 321XLR will be replacing the A321T in that role, and they will also be doing thin trans-con out of JFK that the 757 previously did.
@@kelly2631 sorry to break your bubble of superiority, AA has officially announced that all 321T will be reconfigured to normal 321 Kodak layout, and the XLR will take over transcon
On this flight American Airlines offered two different wines from Austria, my home country. How nice is that. Greetings from Austria.
$30 for Wi-Fi when both JetBlue and Delta give it away for free?!
In my opinion the Jeb Score should penalize the IFE score for pricy wifi
delta's "free" wifi only allows passengers to use messaging apps. To be fair is better than nothing but only works a handful of times based on my experience
@@DingusMW they actually announced a month or so again full fledged free wifi
@@MichaelAuslanderJr oh no kidding, AA is definitely behind on the curve then. Streamable wifi is a must when traveling these days
The AA wifi is $25 for JFK-SNA. While abit pricey, it works well. You can stream RUclips or Netflix while traveling. You cant do that with Southwest Wifi.
Just had a AA Trip via First class from JFK to Madrid then Barcelona to JFK. Best experience ever!
Honestly I believe just the tags "First Class" is a name that hold so much weight when you say it out loud. "First-Class experience", "First- Class service", or "First-Class dining" is the idea that a person is gaining access to something that is special and well worth the price of admission. And you're right with what you said at the end of this video, it seems like the era of "First Class" anything is gone in aviation.
I ask me dad about this. He said that it because the first class is the first section of when you walk in aeroplane. I think in the older days when airplane had propeller, you had a second class (which is like business of today), then you had a third class which is back of plane. So the third class is coach of today. So it has nothing to do with name when you say out loud. It is about the section of the plane and the size of seats, windows and stuff like that
Hey Jeb, your reviews are fantastic. Love it pal, I'll never be in a position to travel like this but I love to watch it, cheers to you and your lovely wife, all the best from Scotland x
So an economy ticket was $300 and you paid $1300? For a flight that's 5 hours, that's a premium of $200 per hour for some extra legroom and free food. I don't think business first is worth over 4x what an economy ticket is valued at
It's for people that can afford it. He is likely wealthy. If you want to afford it, work hard and get rich.
@@chinaberg exactly
Stop whining and get on your grind, then you will be able to justify it
Or get an inheritance like most people that claim getting rich is easy
Jeb probably paid for it with points or got an upgrade due to aa status. I flew singapore suites which would have cost 18,000 dollars from NY to Singapore and paid 40$ for the flight. Kinda makes it worth it when you pay 5% of an economy fair for a bedroom in the sky.
Booked a first class next month on american my first first class experience, i am excited
There is something special about flying First Class or Business Class. I enjoy flying so much more when I'm comfortable and when the level of service is a cut above. It's nice to see that American Airlines is still flying a product they can be proud of. Thank you for sharing your most recent travel experience.
I'm Executive Platinum on American Airlines so I get upgraded to First and Business frequently and agree it's the only way to fly. I just wish the food was as good as the comfortable seats. It seems that since Covid they never brought back full service. Just took trips to Madrid and Berlin and the Business Class food was unbelievably mediocre.
awesome video as always! crazy to think in the 2000s these routes were operated by wide bodies, and monsters like dc10s and L1011s in the 90s. how times have changed!
Well, United have four daily widebody flights! (3x B78X, 1x B772)
It's interesting to look at the hijacked flights on 9/11 and the load factors. American 11, a 767-200, had 92 people on board. United 175 had only 65. Those were the days before airlines optimized their flight forecasts to ensure high load factors on practically every flight.
@@jonathankleinow2073 I mean, it was a tuesday after all.
@@jatterhog It didn't matter. They flew those bigger planes like that every day.
@@derbagger22 nowadays one has to be more selective with flight choices, I mean JFK-LHR is a route suited for 747s and A380s while today some flights are operated by the A321LR
I hope you have a flight to MCI booked sometime in March! I toured the new terminal today during the open house, and it's a 1,000% improvement over the old terminals. There's a Delta Sky Club, too!
Hi guys thanks for sharing I felt like I was right there with you I always enjoy your videos stay blessed
Another Excellent video, Jeb, ... Thank You 🙂 ...
Idk what’s more impressive, your flights and videos or your watch collection 😉
Great video J & S also I love seeing that A321T in Flagship First Class but as you mentioned lie flat Business is becoming the normal standard and also the “Domestic First Class” on AA like their 737s and A321s still looks awesome and I cannot wait to fly on their new Wide body international Business Class product it looks epic and I’m sorry to say it looks like an improvement over even “First” class now! 😂😊
Cheers 🥂
Caleb’s Aviation
Woo hoo! 2024!
I will be Traveling Transcon JFK-SFO next week in First Class. Then DFW-LHR on 777 First Class in April. I am glad to be able to try them before its all gone.
Being the child of a long time American Airlines employee, I spent many many an hour at LAX through my childhood and early adulthood. Funny thing is is that Terminal4 at LAX was refurbished in 2000 from its old 1960 motif. And now they are looking at another refurbishment.
Considering it’s a 2-3 year project, the last refurb lasted 25+ years. About what one would expect before another one.
I was there in November. I liked the arched ceilings.
I'll be flying flagship first of the 777-300ER from LAX- Sydney in September. Glad I had the miles and the opportunity to book it before it disappeared
That's the right way to do it, too! On a long-haul flight. Enjoy every second!!
I wish I would fly this! It seems amazing
I was upgraded to first class years ago and it was a nice experience.
Wow the buffet in that flagship dining looks AMAZING Jeb!!!!!
I flew first class on Pan Am and Braniff decades ago..what an experience!
I've done this first-class check-in at LAX and really love it. The headphones for first class do the trick for me to help me sleep without turning on any audio on redeyes. I appreciated this video as I have a flight on a 321T and thought the exit was behind business class like a 777-300. I have a brief layover between JFK > MIA and moved to the first row to get out ASAP. I'll try the new shared lounges on a later flight with the same routing later this year but a more relaxing layover.
Always love your videos!! Keep up the good work Jeb!
Great content as always.
Beautiful Patek Jeb. Your watches are always a highlight of your videos to me. Some very tasty watches you’ve shown
Great video as usual, and the Patek 🤘🏼🤩
hey man good videos that your making keep it up!
Enjoyed just wish it was longer. ❤
Nice patek aquanut, I enjoy your watching your videos
This is the real "First Class" under a traditional 3-Class Configration and rare to be seen in a narrow-body aircraft.
Clearly remembered I used 32.5K AA Miles to get this first class seat in Jan.2016, which was a beautiful memory and a lifetime experience... Unfortunately, AA miles devalued signifitantly after my redemption and I had the feeling I am unable to take it again...
Just remember, in most scenario of our life, first time is the last time.
My greatest experience on an airline was flying first class from JFK to Rio Brazil on an American Airlines DC-10 back in the 90s. It was amazing. I still have the leather shaving/amenity bag they gave you. Sad to see it go
Flew first class as an upgrade once. Service was on a seriously tired MD-80. The seats in front of me looked like a dog had chewed on them. Beverage service was in a real glass, but same offerings as economy. I didn’t expect much, and boy did they deliver.
I loved that focus on the 747 leaving LAX!
New watch alert? Beautiful Patek!
Hell Yeah Shinola!! 😀 ⌚ Represent Detroit! I always travel with my Shinola Watch! The best.
That buffet had no f’s! Everything looked delicious!
amazing video as always!
Another great video, thank you for sharing! You should have your own Travel Channel show, also a LOT more subscribers! Hope to see it some day, thanks and god bless
Hi Jeb! Always glad to see Suzanne with you... I like her perspective! See you in the skies!
Thank you for your video. I'm flying JFK - LAX in first class, thanks to your video. I didn't know they are discontinuing this product. I got last minute web special deal. ( 45k per person ) I had Delta award ticket LAX to JFK and back.
1. I held the AA ticket
2. Called Delta and canceled the return flight
3. Booked AA ticket for 90K ( for 2 pax ) + $10 in fee
out going
Delta main lax - JFK. 28000 miles delta
Returning
JFK - Delta : 45k
Thanks for indept review. was debating between business and first. snaged first for 10k more points.
Mere mortals like most of us will never get to experience such extravagant amenities in an aircraft. I’ve always had to fly in coach packed like a sardine and don’t expect that to change in my lifetime.
The crew room is right below the lounge and I really enjoyed just staring out the window at the big birds down this alley.
Awesome review.
Ps: you're wearing my dream watch 👌
Hey Jeb Brooks! So sad that the flagship first is going away, you should review the new business on Americans 787s when it comes out!! Can’t wait for that video
That will be a while yet before it's introduced.
I fly Business Class weekly with AA. DFW is my hub, so I experience Flagship Lounge in DFW, ORD and MIA because I have the ever mysterious ConciergeKey status. The Flagship Lounges are decent for the most part. The eggs alone (for breakfast) are significantly better than the eggs in the Admirals Lounge. The other items in the self-serve food stations are also decent to good. They also have “chefs” making the odd meals (omelets, waffles, etc). Some of the travelers in Flagship Lounge are usually getting their drink on/lit post lunch and it’s kind of fun to people watch sometimes (especially at the Bloody Mary station). The servers generally do a great job and deserve more praise from some of the snobs in Flagship Lounge. Work wise, it’s subpar to the Admirals Lounge though. In flight, Business is either meh to decent/good. It all depends on the Flight Attendants. Some are super chill and happy to be there, others are phoning it in and have attitudes. I know their jobs aren’t easy dealing with humans, so I give them some grace.
Great vlog as always! Now I have not flown coast to coast in the US for almost, hold on, 30yrs! Narrow body on a service like this I was never a fan of, so I tried as much as posible to widebody like 767, A-300/A-310. The 757 was better than a 737. In my days I flew TWA and NW, but I very much felt at home, first with PI and then US. I miss them. Alot! Could AS be my new US? AA I have only flown once onboard a F-100 ORD-MSP that did not land due to bad weather. UA is more than ok since they are a partner with my airline SK. The old CO was also fine. They did stink in the 80s. DL I have not flown for 30yrs after the takeover the PA routes. They was so bad. Worse than CO if you ask me. Keep up the good work. Be safe!
I feel like JetBlue offers a similar product with their Mint class on domestic routes though!
Great trip report Jeb
Jeb great review I’ve flown the AA Flagship First service between JFK and LAX and it was good although I thought it to be a bit overrated and I knew the Purser. However Delta at onetime offered 3 classes of service on its L-1011’s back in the day with First Business and Coach. I flew them between FRA and JFK after they acquired the route from PanAm on the L1011-500 one of my favs and it was a great experience, until they did away with it in favor of Business Elite back in the 90’s. To be honest I prefer Delta One on transcon flights as Delta uses wide body aircraft’s like the 767-300/400ER’s and one flight a day with the A330neo and it’s Delta One Suites. I’d love to see a review on that bird and tell us what you think of the A330-900 neo’s suites on a domestic flight. Especially compared to JB mint on its A320/321 vs United Polars 787-10 and AA’s transcon business class A321T. Happy trails fly safe and I enjoyed your Delta First from Boston to SFO with the A321neo that had the emergency landing. To bad we didn’t get a Jeb score on that one cause I’m not a fan that they don’t offer Delta One on transcon flights out of Boston, 37” pitch lost me. Thank God my hometown airport is premium heavy JFK. Fly safe buddy and hope to see you on a flight one day. Don’t get scared if I bug out lol 😂 and keep’ m coming 🥂🍾✈️
Just flew the product last week from JFK to SFO. I avoided the $1,200+ price tag by paying with Etihad Guest miles, costing only 25,000 points. For that price, plus only $15 in taxes and fees, it was a very worthwhile experience that I’d gladly do again
Also 3:58 isn’t totally accurate, since there is still a distinction in lounges at JFK. The Chelsea lounge is only for Flagship First, and includes some of the best in airport dining I’ve ever had!
Not paying for it is exactly why they are discontinuing it. Few actually pay for AA flagship first. It's mostly miles, upgrades for corporate business class accounts etc. Wasted space on the plane
@@johniii8147With that logic they will phase out their whole business because the people who were using points for first will just start using them for business class and economy. Which will be even cheaper with points than first was.
@@carryeveryday910 No that doesn't really make any sense. I don't think you really understand how the points game works for the airlines. A carrier like AA makes far more money off selling miles to CC's and other partners than they do on the actual flying on a margin basis. The airlines also have full control on points booking availability and how many points you need.
Four class service? First, business, and main cabin. Huh? After the change, the airplanes will be in the same configuration just then called business, premium economy, and main cabin. SAME prices or higher for each seat as now. Better service? Don't count on it. This change is for them; not us seat fillers.
I find it interesting they are doing away with first class considering how much revenue they make with these seats but in today’s economy I can see why they care choosing to get rid of it. Great video as always!
I have been to that Flagship First lounge at LAX and totally love it. The food and views are great there. I’m looking forward to trying the new suites. At least AA is trying something new❤️✈️
That lounge is so good! Agreed on the innovation from AA. Thanks for all of your support, Diane!
I hope to work one of your flights someday! 💜
I hope so too!
Delta One Suites are absolutely FIRST CLASS
I'm flying American "First" tomorrow from Orlando to Dallas.....It'll be interesting to see what the differences might be. And how the Admirals Club stacks up....
You'll only have access to Admirals Club if if you have a membership or access via one of their high end credit cards. F on the route doesn't get you club access.
I'm only one minute in, and I have to ask you, Jeb...did you make a significant upgrade to your camera? The amount of image definition is, frankly, jaw dropping. I've watched nearly every single one of your trip videos and the video quality here looks like 4K at a minimum...okay, now to finish watching it.
Great video mate, interesting to see 4 classes being offered on a narrow body domestic flight. Ansett and Qantas used to offer first class domestically here in Australia when I first started in the industry (1995) but scrapped it at least 20 years ago.
Those were the days!
That’s sure a spectacular view of the tarmac from the lounge @ LAX.
I might have a stupid question about headphones. How do the Bluetooth headsets connect on a plane. Last time I flew I still used the typical 3,5mm jack.
So is the LAX flagship first dining lounge permanently closed? I will be flying flagship first from LAX to SYD in about 6 weeks and was looking forward to this. I will be on the 777-300ER with the swivel seat… and then on the return on a 787-9 in flagship first. Also, is there a time limit in the lounge? I have a 7 hour layover outbound and 12 hr return. Thanks for the awesome video!
to my knowledge there's no time limit on the lounge but the ticket has to be for the same day or previous night for an overnight inbound flight
Thanks I'm glad you enjoy
Great Video!
Very nice. Do Flagship First fares ever go on sale?
I’ve flown on the A321T four times, and I hope to try it at least two more times! Such a great plane in the AA fleet!
Beautiful explanation of first class! Jeb that’s also a first class watch 😝
I was hoping you'd take AA Flagship First on an international flight/widebody -- I haven't done that yet (always took BA F instead), and it has cool stuff like a rotating seat with desk.
We fly in first EZE to MIA on March 12th. This is one of the few routes left.
Good view of the impact crater in Utah.
I'm im Kansas City, MO and our brand new airport opens in 10 days! You should come give it a look and video about it. 😊
United still has these... I flew a Airbus Neo from Washington DC to Las Vegas 2 weeks ago.
that image @ 7:31 of "canyonlands NP" is pretty weird. Does anyone have any idea bout how that could happen?
I flew Flagship First from MIA to LAX last February on the triple 7. The Flagship Dining did not open until 1 pm, and our plane left at 1:10 pm. The onboard experience was spectacular especially compared to the normal American experience. Sadly the IFE and Wi-Fi were out the entire flight, and we had bad turbulence for 2/3rds of the flight. Glad I flew it when I could because, as of November 1st, there is no more Flagship service at all between the two cities and no 777, only the A321. Not sure if they will bring back the widebodies in the summer schedule.
The lack of functionality of the IFE is not acceptable when paying a premium. Your diplomacy is legendary and humorous...
Beautiful 😍
A Gin and Tonic... Your the man Jeb...👍👍👍
Good video @JebBrooks! What airline has the best gin selection? Which brand do you prefer?!
Hi Jeb your my favorite aviation youtuber
In many countries, eployers no longer provide "first class" tickets to employees flying on business, and some might provide it for intercontinental but not domestic. So airlines basically did away with F tickets and upgraded J class to first class seats/service.
To the airline, it depends how many in the First Class cabin actually paid for first class vs how many using FF points to get the upgrade.
For some airlines, providing premium on domestic routes is important when that rote allows one to do full intercontinental trip in the class they wanted. If you want first to Singapore, but forced to fly in business or even coach on the domestic leg, that really removes value from service especiually if another airline offers a non stop and all in first to Singapore.
Kinda sad that this luxury in the sky is going, but the new stuff to come looks promising.
Fantastic video.
I have flown AA and always liked it, but was always on a per diem from work and could never use first class. I looks like fun though!
Nice watch!
Oh Jeb, since they are “sunsetting” this service wouldn’t it have be better to fly Westbound? It would have been a longer flight, with more time to enjoy the service and you would have been flying into the sunset as the “sun sets” on this service! I think I’m going to 😢. Great job as always.
What about Flagship Business transcon? I'm planning on flying to LA next April......will AA still have the A321 Transcon or will I have to go Delta One?
Jeb love your videos man keep up the great work question what are your thoughts on Japan airlines
I wonder if they’ll keep parts of the first class experience (flagship first check in, e.g.) for their oneworld partners with first class.
You don't get flagship check in with a ticket on a oneworld partner (excluding BA at JFK T8) so sadly I don't think it will stick around very long, even though they are renovating the space at MIA right now. Although you do get access as OW Emerald and AA Elite on certain routes, so it's not just flagship first.
I love the seperate check in as the agents have always been super helpful, even when on a basic economy ticket.
They appear to be phasing it out. No need for it with International F going away. AA was rather late to game in phasing out F.
I fly first exclusively on American between lax to jfk. It’s not bad…I do miss the flagship dining.
Yeah me too. I figured that was going when the announcement was made.
@@johniii8147 they also started yanking the “concierge key” from people . I still have mine , but most don’t
@@stankythecat6735Haven't had that happen since spend is still there. They are yanking it from people that haven't been traveling as much anymore.
The true attractiveness of the first class is exactly the flagship first dining, with lobster and premium steak, with value ~$150 in a Michelin restaurant outside. It was way better than the meal in-flight. However, after the shut-down of the flagship first dining, this fist class does not worth its price anymore.
To clarify, the meal service is the biggest change that is going away when the new Flagship Suite is rolled out. The tabletop ware will be changed to the standard domestic offering with a downgrade in meals. It's not clear whether they will keep the Casper comforter and full sized pillow or downgrade to the small blanket and bolster pillow.
The meals on the Flagship First are an improvement from the current business class food offering. You will not see that perfect salmon ever again. The appetizer and salad will be preplated and there will only be one choice with the Flagship Suite. The Flagship First meals are plated by hand, the Flagship Suite will be preplated. The wine choice in Flagship First is the only one that offers a dessert wine, which will go away with Flagship First/Flagship Suite transition. Small changes will also be: no more cute salt and pepper grinders, no more balsamic/olive oil bottle, no more metal silverware/napkin holder, no more whipped butter, no more stemmed glassware (including the stemmed ice cream sundae bowl), no more white tablecloth, no more chef style garnishes.
Basically the setup you see on the standard domestic first class tray meal will be the same. Same stemless glassware, silverware, plateware, tray cloth, napkins and the standard wrapped butter. Also, no more beautiful garnishes like those carrots and shallots and sourdough croutons on the soup.
They may do a menu overhaul in the future but AA will save a lot of $ eliminating the Flagship First Class menu for the transcon service and making it the same as they do for the standard business class service.
The massive tray table will be gone as well. The Flagship Suite has a fair amount of space for your things but they are small separate spaces.
I hope that gives you a better idea of what to expect.