American Airlines said it plans to continue refining its boarding process to make the experience less stressful for passengers and employees alike.

On February 25, 2025, an American Airlines Airbus A321 operating Flight AA1216 from Charlotte to West Palm Beach was forced to return to Charlotte a few minutes after takeoff due to maintenance. This was the second American Airlines flight to return to the airport over the last few days.

American Airlines is adjusting the boarding process for flights this spring. Passengers will start getting settled in their seats five minutes earlier on domestic mainline flights. "This extra time will deliver a smoother boarding experience for customers by allowing for pauses between boarding groups,

AA will begin boarding all domestic mainline flights five minutes earlier than before. Earlier boarding times are being enacted to ultimately help expedite the boarding process.

The software sounds a chime if a passenger attempts to board a flight before their assigned group is called, alerting the gate agent and the customer.

When we travel by plane, are we really making the most of our time? That’s not a question addressing the flight itself, but rather the process by which we get on board the planes that fly us to our destination.

Your boarding process might look a little different next time you fly American Airlines out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The airline said it recently invested in “new express service kiosks and a new lobby configuration” meant to create a “smoother boarding process” for both travelers and employees,