Thales Celebrates Entry Into Service of First AA Premium Dreamliner Featuring AVANT Up IFE

Originally published on APEX

All photos via American Airlines

American Airlines’ (AA) first premium-heavy Boeing 787-9 featuring Thales’ AVANT Up in-flight entertainment (IFE) system took to the skies at the beginning of June, marking a new era in passenger experience for the carrier, which is set to welcome a further 29 of the aircraft type by 2029.

All Seats Feature 4K QLED HDR Screens

The debut of AVANT Up onboard the 787-9 marks the beginning of a new chapter in premium onboard entertainment for American Airlines.

The carrier was announced as the launch customer for AVANT Up’s IFE screens in late 2021. Three and a half years later on June 5, 2025, the first Boeing 787-9 aircraft equipped with Thales’ latest IFE system operated its inaugural flight between Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles before entering international service to London Heathrow.

The centerpiece of AVANT Up is its Optiq display, which Thales claims is the first 4K QLED HDR seatback screen in commercial aviation. It delivers ultra-high-definition content in over one billion colors via highly responsive touchscreens.

Onboard American Airlines’ premium 787-9 (dubbed the 787-9P), the seatback screen is 17.5-inches in the Flagship Suite, its new business-class product; 13-inches in premium economy; and 11.5-inches in economy.

A Holistic Approach to the Entertainment Experience

Thales equipped its AVANT Up system with seamless device integration capabilities, offering complete Bluetooth headphone pairing for all passengers and eliminating the need for wired connections.

AA also opted to include Thales’ Pulse power system in its offering, which includes USB-A and USB-C ports that can charge laptops and other devices with up to 60 watts of power – an amount sufficient to charge modern laptops, tablets, and smartphones simultaneously. 

And in addition to a copious content library, AVANT Up boasts numerous interactive features, such as a the ability for passengers to take part in a watch party, a picture-in-picture viewing experience, and action-packed console gaming.

AA Debuts Thales’ Accessible Interface in North & South America

One of the most impactful upgrades in this rollout is of Thales’ accessibility interface, which won the 2024 Crystal Cabin Award in the Best Customer Journey Experience category. American Airlines is the first carrier in North and South America to fly with Thales’s new user interface specifically designed for passengers who are blind or visually impaired.

It boasts audio navigation cues, voice feedback for on-screen content, touch and swipe controls, and a wide range of audio-described programming. It is designed to deliver a more inclusive and accessible experience for every traveler, marking a broader shift in the airline industry to ensure digital access for all travelers.

AVANT Up Powers AA’s Premium Fleet

While some airlines have shifted towards bring-your-own-device strategies, AA is doubling down on the full-seatback experience, especially on wide-body aircraft that operate competitive long-haul, high-yield routes where passenger comfort and engagement are vital.

By the end of 2025, American is expected to take delivery of eight 787-9P aircraft. These aircraft, which feature AVANT Up, will operate on routes connecting Chicago, Los Angeles, and London. Additional routes will include summer services between Philadelphia, Zurich, and London; and winter services between Dallas and Brisbane.

The 787-9P aircraft have 51 Flagship Suites and 32 upgraded premium economy seats, totaling 83 premium seats. That represents an almost 65% increase in premium capacity for American Airlines compared to its existing 787-9s, which have only 51 premium seats.

In addition to the new fully enclosed Flagship Suite seats, which feature a sliding privacy door, the 787-9P also includes eight Flagship Suite Preferred seats that offer 19% more bed space and 42% more living area than the regular Flagship Suite. 

The Upgrade is Part of a Long-Standing Partnership

AVANT Up will not only be installed on the 787-9P, as American plans to install the system on its fleet of Airbus A321 XLRs, ensuring a consistent premium entertainment experience across both aircraft types. In 2019, American ordered 50 of the type, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2025 and continue through 2029. 

Thales InFlyt Experience Chief Executive Officer Niels Steenstrup commented, “For nearly 15 years, American Airlines has trusted Thales as [its] in-flight entertainment provider. This enduring partnership reflects our shared commitment to create extraordinary in-flight experiences, and we are thrilled to power American’s premium travel with the cutting-edge AVANT Up.”

American Airlines SVP Customer Experience Heather Garboden emphasized the technology’s contribution to premium service: “Every aspect of our new 787-9 is designed to feel premium in nature. Everything our customers see on board was designed with customers in mind – from the design details to Bluetooth connectivity and state-of-the-art entertainment.”