Here's How Many New Planes American Airlines Expects To Take Delivery Of In 2026

Published Aug 20, 2026, 10:01 PM EDT Prachi is a London-based journalist with extensive experience in the aviation industry. She has worked for several leading industry publications, covering a broad range of topics. Her expertise lies in aircraft maintenance, emerging technologies, and advanced air mobility. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Journalism, focusing on data journalism and its potential to transform conventional aviation reporting. American Airlines started in the 1920s through the cooperation of several small airlines across the US under the American Airways brand. The company was then rebranded as American Airlines in 1934. Today, it is one of the three main carriers in the United States and one of the world's largest airlines by fleet size. Over the years, the airline has significantly expanded its network. It now serves nearly 350 destinations across more than 60 countries and operates an average of more than 6,000 daily flights. The airline has also continued to expand its fleet. According to ch-aviation, American currently operates more than 1,000 aircraft and is expecting to take delivery of more than 250 additional aircraft. The deliveries will support the carrier's continued expansion and fleet renewal. American Is Expecting 48 New Aircraft In 2026 Credit: Shutterstock As of August 2026, the airline expects to receive 280 new aircraft over the next few years. This includes 102 Airbus A321neos, 44 A321XLRs, 115 737 MAX 10s, and 19 787-9 Dreamliners. For this year specifically, American is expected to receive around 48 new aircraft, according to its latest Fleet Fact Sheet. So far, the airline has received about 22 aircraft in 2026, including a mix of 737 MAX 8s, A321neos and A321XLRs. For the remainder of the year, American expects to take delivery of 15 additional A320 family aircraft and 11 Embraer E175s. The current figure is relatively smaller than what the Dallas/Fort Worth-based carrier had expected at the beginning of the year. The airline initially hoped to take delivery of 55 aircraft in 2026, but revised that number to 49 in its April quarterly update. The latest figure has now been reduced again to 48 aircraft. The lower delivery forecast is primarily due to the pace of aircraft deliveries from suppliers. American’s 787 Deliveries Have Been Pushed Back Credit: Shutterstock The latest reduction is linked to a change in American’s 787 delivery schedule. Indeed, the Dreamliner is an important part of the airline’s fleet strategy as American continues to expand its premium cabin offering and relies on its widebody fleet to capture growing demand for higher-value travel. As noted previously, the airline is awaiting delivery of 19 Dreamliners and also holds options for 28 additional aircraft. Last year, according to its 10-K filing, American accepted 11 787-9s as part of the 40 mainline aircraft. The airline was expected to continue receiving the widebody aircraft in 2026. However, in its most recent quarterly filing, the airline moved one 787 delivery from 2026 to 2027 and also brought two aircraft originally scheduled for 2028 forward. This leaves American’s total 787 commitments unchanged, but it now does not expect to receive any of them in 2026. Boeing has faced several problems that have affected 787 deliveries in recent years, including supply chain issues. The program had a strong second half of 2025, but production fell below the target rate of eight aircraft per month in the first quarter of 2026. American Airlines Delivery Outlook For New Aircraft Remainder of 2026 2027 2028 2029 Airbus A320 family 15 25 36 91 Boeing 787 Dreamliner family 6 3 10 Boeing 737 family 115 Embraer E175 11 14 17 30 Much of the initial slowdown was linked to delays in General Electric GEnx engine deliveries. The engine delays have started to ease, but other supply chain challenges and issues related to premium seats are still contributing to delivery delays. That said, Boeing has started delivering some of the 787s that were already built and waiting to be handed over to customers. The planemaker is also continuing to produce new aircraft, although production remains below its eventual target rate of ten 787s per month. American Has Added New Airbus Order While Delaying Deliveries Credit: Shutterstock Furthermore, American increased its Airbus commitments in July by exercising six additional A320-family options. However, the airline also pushed the associated deliveries out of 2028, with roughly 12 fewer aircraft than its initial target, and into 2029 and beyond, with around 16 more aircraft. The changes reduced its aircraft and engine commitments by $873 million in 2028, while adding $953 million in 2029. Overall, American’s total remaining commitments increased to $24.324 billion. The decision to add aircraft to the order book while pushing deliveries further out could help American manage its capital spending at a time when it is dealing with high fuel costs and thin margins. The airline is keeping some older aircraft in the fleet longer than originally intended, which is not ideal when fuel prices are high. Older aircraft are generally less fuel-efficient than newer-generation jets, meaning they can require more fuel to operate. Geopolitical tensions worldwide have continued to contribute to volatility in oil and natural gas prices. During the first quarter of 2026, aircraft fuel prices fluctuated substantially. Market spot prices ranged from approximately $1.86 per gallon to $4.75 per gallon during the quarter. American said in its most recent quarterly filing that its operating results are “materially impacted” by changes in aircraft fuel availability, price volatility, and cost, which is one of the highest single costs in its business. Aircraft fuel and related taxes cost the airline $2.9 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up $341 million, or 13.2%, from the same period a year earlier. According to the airline, the increase was mainly due to a 10.7% rise in the average price per gallon, from $2.48 to $2.75, as well as a 2.3% increase in fuel consumption as it increased capacity. American Is Building A New Generation Of Its Fleet Credit: American Airlines Indeed, American has invested heavily in modernizing and simplifying its fleet over the past decade. Its strategy is not only about replacing aging aircraft, but also about giving it more flexibility to match its aircraft to different markets. Last year, the oneworld alliance member became the first US airline to operate the Airbus A321XLR. The aircraft gives the airline an option for markets (such as medium-density transatlantic markets) that have enough demand for a long-haul service but may not support a larger widebody aircraft. At the same time, it is putting more focus on premium demand. It is introducing its new premium Flagship Suite seats on its 787-9s and A321XLRs, and also planning to bring the product to its 777 fleet. It is also retrofitting its A319 and A320 aircraft with new seats. This comes as premium demand continues to outperform the Main Cabin. During the first and second quarter of 2026, premium unit revenue outperformed the Main Cabin, while the number of Premium and Premium Economy seats grew more than twice as fast as Main Cabin seats. In fact, this summer American is offering more premium seats than any other airline. The 737 MAX 10 Remains American’s Biggest Question Mark Credit: Shutterstock Undoubtedly, in 2026, American’s fleet growth is being driven by the 737 MAX 8, A321neo, A321XLR and 787-9. The airline is receiving these aircraft as it continues to expand and modernize its fleet, and more deliveries are expected to follow. However, there is more uncertainty around the 737 MAX 10, which makes up a large part of American’s future order book but has yet to receive certification. Boeing said in July that the MAX 10 had entered the final stage of flight testing and development assurance work, and certification flight testing is 98% complete. The company is currently testing an enhanced angle-of-attack system on the aircraft, which it will introduce across the 737 MAX family to simplify flight deck effects and prevent erroneous warnings. The planemaker said the MAX 10 team still needs to complete the remaining flight tests, finish the outstanding DAR 4 items, and finalize system safety submissions for FAA review. Hopefully, the aircraft will be certified by the end of 2026, but uncertainty remains about when American will actually begin receiving the aircraft. For now, its MAX 10 deliveries sit in the 2029-and-beyond delivery bucket. The Next Aircraft Order Could Reshape American’s Widebody Fleet Credit: Shutterstock To conclude, American currently operates more than 1,000 aircraft across its mainline and regional fleet and is expected to receive 280 more aircraft in the years ahead. However, ongoing supply chain issues across the industry have affected delivery timelines for both manufacturers and airlines. For 2026, this means American is now expecting to receive 48 aircraft. The final number will depend in part on whether suppliers and manufacturers can deliver the aircraft on schedule. Looking further ahead, the airline is also preparing for another major fleet decision. In June, American issued a request for proposals to Boeing and Airbus to replace its 47 777-200ERs. The decision will shape the airline’s widebody fleet for years to come, although American has not committed to a public timeline for making its selection. Industry observers expect an announcement either in late 2026 or during 2027, with the first deliveries realistically expected between 2028 and 2030 given the existing order backlogs at both manufacturers. For now, American has a substantial number of aircraft on the way, but we will have to wait and see how the delivery schedule develops and which aircraft ultimately shape the next stage of its fleet.