Over the weekend I wrote about the American Airlines pilots union creating their own trading cards that pilots could hand out to customers, because American itself had done it – while it’s something that Delta, United, Alaska and Spirit Airlines offer. The union was both providing a service to pilots and trolling management at the same time.
Well, American actually is now launching their own pilot trading cards, and they’re tying it to their 100th anniversary.
We’ve been waiting for a moment like this. 💯🎉
To celebrate our 100th anniversary, American trading cards are taking flight.
Starting soon, pilots will be sharing collectible cards featuring some of the aircraft from our current fleet, plus special centennial editions honoring… pic.twitter.com/IR7r10oYWe— americanair (@AmericanAir) April 15, 2026
American is celebrating this milestone today, but suggesting that the tie-in may be mere convenience, the cards aren’t actually ready. Availability of the cards will be ‘starting soon’. This is a little bit awkward because customers are being told they can ask pilots for the cards but aren’t being told when pilots will have the cards to hand out.
Still, this is very much a sign that American Airlines is beginning to do some of the things that they’ve gotten so behind on over the past decade. For instance,
- More and nicer lounges
- More business and first class seats
- More customer-friendly rules (like restoring access for all customers to standby at the gate)
- Better onboard coffee, which is now available in lounges and across their flights
There’s still much to do. Strategic fumbles like retiring too many aircraft during the pandemic left them poorly positioned to compete in places like Chicago. They need a widebody aircraft order, but delivery slots are scarce (which could leave them only the option of new Airbus A330s – an aircraft type they retired six years ago in order to simplify the fleet).
And top executives need to be out evangelizing a vision for the airline to front line employees, customers, and investors. They need to show real fight, a real aggressive strategy to grow, and to capture the loyalty of customers who will fly the most, at the highest fares, and with the most spend on their cobrand credit cards.
Here’s CEO Robert Isom out front with a birthday message celebrating the airline’s 100 years. I won’t be around for the next 100, but I do think American has great potential and the shifts they’ve begun making over the past 12 months are quite positive. What we need is a vision – if not for 100 years, then for the next 5 – of where they’re headed and who they want to become that everyone can rally around.
Here’s the 100th anniversary merchandise from the American Airlines Brand Store.
Congrats! As an EP for several years, and happily a Platinum Pro these days, I say, good for them/us, and keep doing whatever you’re doing at JFK T8 with Chelsea, Soho, Greenwich, and Flagship Suites. As Gary (and a few of you) are literal Concierge Keys and Texas-natives, my goodness, y’all are harsh against your home-state airline. Cheer up. Find the ‘joy’ in flying, again.
@1990 sadly they took away my CK 🙂
What is all that different in the hard product? All three airlines chase the upper end traveler, particularly those flying globaly, with flat seats and fancy wine. They all three have made coach a bus ride. All monetize the domestic first class cabin. They all have watered down elite benefits.
They all have some great staff and some awful staff. Operational wise, AA is behind the other two but all three are quickly moving away from personalized service to AI/chat bot.
For AA the missteps of retiring too many aircrafts, lessening presence in important but competitive markets, and over dependency of two hubs really got the airline to it’s present day position. One could argue the removal of IFE.
American been a great airline for 90 years! Parker destroyed AA for 10 years. I hope Robert Isom can turn things around. Congrats!
How abt cheaper tickets
Certainly didn’t seem like they wanted anyone’s business based on my recent transatlantic flights with them (all the usual complaints… maintenance delays, completely indifferent crews, weird LHR catering, etc., although did get operationally upgraded to PE on the new 787-P so that was nice), and they have quite the mountain of debt to deal with coupled with a lack of widebodies to, you know, fly places. But… all that said, they arguably have the most potential to be something better than they currently are and are a company that many of us keep rooting for.
So, for now, I’ll continue to enjoy all the OWE/OWS lounges, the JFK joint premium lounges, the great credit card lounge options at LGA TB (that flying AA provides access to), and continue to tolerate the onboard experience with American while looking to fly with their oneworld partners when available. Certainly hope that they can get new management that is vision-focused and cares 10% more about the customer.
@Gary Leff — Genuinely sorry to hear that. Welcome back to the masses. We kept the seat warm for you, comrade.
AA miles are now the most valuable. I did not see that one coming.
(Oh, and don’t tell Tim, but, I’m no longer a Diamond anymore… *sniff*)