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Airline: American Airlines (AA)
Flight Number: AA27
Route: LAX-HND
Class: Business Class
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Registration: N823AN
Delivered: December 2016
Flight Duration: 10 Hours 35 Minutes
Distance: 5,482 Miles
Overall Impression:
For this 10-hour transpacific flight, we flew in business class on American Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, outfitted with 30 Collins Super Diamond Business Class seats. This was a welcome upgrade over the previously used Zodiac Concept D “rocking” seats on this route. The Los Angeles-based crew was excellent, delivering top-notch service throughout the flight. It was also great to see that American had reinstated mattress pads, slippers, and pajamas on this route—small touches that significantly enhance the overall experience. The in-flight catering was also quite good, though it still fell short of the standard set by Japan Airlines.
What I Liked:
The seats – Great to see American Airlines step things up on this route. The switch to the 787-9 is a welcome upgrade, offering a far more comfortable and competitive business class seat. I was also happy to find that the aircraft had personal air nozzles, which helped keep me cool and comfortable throughout the flight.
Business Class Amenities – American Airlines offers a really solid set of amenities in business class. You’ll get a nice amenity kit, Bang & Olufsen noise-canceling headphones, and bottled water as standard. What stood out most, though, was the Nectar mattress pad paired with a full-size pillow and duvet—it made a noticeable difference when it came time to sleep. Slippers and pajamas are also provided on this route, and they’re small touches that go a long way in making the experience feel more premium.
The service – The service on this flight was genuinely excellent, thanks to the LAX-based crew. The two flight attendants working our cabin were warm, attentive, and clearly took pride in what they were doing. They managed to be both friendly and professional without ever feeling overbearing. From the pre-departure drinks to the pacing of the meal service, everything felt smooth and well thought out. We felt very well taken care of throughout the flight.
The IFE – American Airlines’ Panasonic IFE system continues to be one of my favorites. It’s fast, easy to use, and has a great selection of content. I also found myself going back to the Voyager moving map quite a bit—it’s a small thing, but it really helps pass the time on a long flight like this.
The Flagship Lounge at LAX – We spent some time in the American Airlines Flagship Lounge LAX before departure, and it was a great way to start the trip. The space is large, bright, and never felt overcrowded, with plenty of seating options.
The buffet had a good variety of food, and there were plenty of drinks to choose from as well.
What I didn’t like:
Expensive and Unreliable In-flight Wi-Fi – The cost of in-flight Wi-Fi on American Airlines was a gut-wrenching $35. Unfortunately, the service didn’t live up to the price—it was slow and inconsistent for most of the flight. Even basic tasks like light browsing, Facebook, and Instagram felt frustratingly spotty. At that price point, you’d expect a far more reliable connection. Hopefully, this improves—and ideally becomes complimentary—once American fully rolls out its high-speed Wi-Fi across the fleet.
It was OK…I guess:
The catering – As mentioned earlier, the catering on this flight out of LAX was generally quite good. American partners with Japan Airlines to offer a Japanese meal option on this route, which is what I chose. The presentation and overall quality were impressive by AA standards, though still not quite on par with JAL. The ice cream sundae once again stood out as a highlight and didn’t disappoint.
Mid-flight, the crew also set up a snack basket, which was perfect for a quick bite.
For the pre-arrival meal, I had the chicken donburi bowl, which was flavorful and satisfying, and it was served with a side salad and a slice of cake.
Bottom Line:
This was a strong and noticeably improved long-haul business class experience with American Airlines. The upgraded 787-9 seat, excellent service from the LAX-based crew, and thoughtful amenities like pajamas and mattress pads made a real difference on this transpacific flight. While the catering was solid and the overall experience enjoyable, areas like Wi-Fi reliability and consistency still leave room for improvement. All in all, a very good flight—and a clear step in the right direction for American on this route.
TravelingFoody.com 