American Airlines Enhances Premium Passenger Boarding

LIVONIA, MI, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- American Airlines is set to introduce more changes soon, rolling out an updated boarding process next month. Recently, the major airline also revealed plans to start boarding passengers under a new, upgraded system designed to offer a more comfortable premium experience. The airline, which proudly calls itself an industry leader, credits its boarding technology for these improvements. The new system officially launched last fall and specifically aims to address passengers who try to board outside of their assigned groups.

Business and First Advance to Preboard

Starting May 1, first and business class passengers will be given the opportunity to pre-board. According to an internal memo shared by JonNYC, families traveling with children under two years old will still be allowed to pre-board, but there will now be clearer communication about the process. The airline is also adding pre-boarding privileges for ConciergeKey passengers who require special assistance, such as wheelchair services.

After pre-boarding, passengers will board in a total of nine groups based on their AAdvantage tier status, with groups one through four designated as priority boarding. Main Cabin boarding will begin with group five, which includes frequent flyers at the base tier and AAdvantage credit card members who have earned at least 15,000 loyalty points. Basic economy passengers, however, will not be allowed to board within these groups.

Enhancing the Time of Boarding

Starting next month, American Airlines will add an extra five minutes to the boarding process, depending on the aircraft or fleet in operation. For flights operated by Airbus A319s and A320s, boarding times will increase from 30 minutes to 35 minutes before departure. As for other aircraft, flights on the Boeing 737-800, MAX8, A321, and A321neo will now begin boarding 40 minutes before departure. Flights operated by the 777-200ER, 777-300ER, and 787-9 Dreamliner will continue with their existing 40-minute boarding windows.

No More Gate Crowds: American Airlines Rolls Out Smarter Boarding Tech

American Airlines recently decided to make a change that gives passengers a little more time to get settled onboard. The airline believes this slower, more organized boarding process will help better manage overhead bin space for everyone. In 2024, American piloted a new boarding technology aimed at reducing the number of so-called "gate lice"—passengers who crowd the gate area before their group is called. The tests were conducted in Albuquerque, Washington, D.C., and Tucson, with plans to expand the system to over 100 airports.
The first airports outside the pilot program to adopt the new technology are Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). So far, the technology is being used to board about 90% of travelers through the airline’s major hubs, with American planning to maintain a 10% non-adoption rate by the end of 2025.

Snigdha Rout
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