American Airlines Flagship Suite Preferred Review: London to Chicago (AA 91, 787-9P)
AA Flagship Suite Preferred seat 1A, LHR-ORD - Sunday Roast, Adient Ascent vs Qatar, free Wi-Fi at 63 Mbps, and honest thoughts on AA's new business class.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Flight | American Airlines AA 91 |
| Route | London Heathrow (LHR) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) |
| Departure | 2:10 PM |
| Arrival | 5:00 PM (40 min early) |
| Aircraft | Boeing 787-9P (N845MD) |
| Cabin | Flagship Business - Flagship Suite Preferred |
| Seat | 1A |
| Booking | 57,500 AAdvantage miles + $174 taxes and fees |
The final international segment of the Around the World on Miles trip, and the one I'd been most curious about. AA 91 was my first chance to fly American's new Flagship Suite - a fully enclosed, forward-facing business class product that launched in 2025 and is now equipped on 787-9P aircraft serving routes like Heathrow and Brisbane. N845MD completed its inaugural flight in April 2025, making this a nine-month-old aircraft.
Having arrived the previous day off Qatar's 787-9 from Doha to Copenhagen - which uses the same Adient Ascent seat hardware. This back-to-back comparison, more detailed in a future post, was something I'd been looking forward to since booking the trip.
Before Departure
I spent the pre-flight hours in the Cathay Pacific First Lounge at Terminal 3. AA operates its own First Class Lounge at T3, but the Cathay product is better across most categories. From there it was a short walk to Gate 32.
Before pushback, John and the rest of the flight deck team took some time to answer questions and walk me through the aircraft. What a fun way to close out the around the world trip.
After only a few minutes we reached our runway for takeoff, but not before passing some interesting sights like the Concorde.
Seat 1A - Flagship Suite Preferred
Seat 1A is designated as a Flagship Suite Preferred, one of eight bulkhead-row suites on the 787-9P. The Preferred designation adds meaningful extras over the standard Flagship Suite behind it:
- Additional footwell space
- Darker finishes throughout
- Nest pajamas, slippers, an extra blanket, and a mattress pad
I was able to select 1A for free at check-in. As of the time of this writing, AA doesn't mark these suites differently on seatmaps - which means some passengers, like the couple across the aisle, discover the extra space only after boarding. It seems to be something only frequent flyers who know to look for it are targeting. That will presumably change once AA starts monetizing the Preferred designation, which feels inevitable.
At each seat was one of AA's new amenities kits - a slightly upgraded version compared to those offered to the standard Flagship Suite seats.
The seat itself is built on the Adient Ascent platform - the same base as Qatar's 787-9 business class, which I'd flown just 24 hours earlier out of Doha. The hardware is unmistakably related: door height, side table light, and several other finishing details were nearly identical. Where AA differentiated is in the accent colors, the backlit drink table featuring AA's tail logo, and the Preferred-specific additions in row 1. American also took the option for larger first-row suites, which gives 1A a more open feel than the rows behind it.
What each suite includes:
- Fully lie-flat bed
- Privacy door
- 17.5-inch 4K IFE screen with Bluetooth audio
- Wireless charging pad
- A Do Not Disturb indicator
- USB-A, USB-C, and AC power
- Personal reading light and adjustable headrest
- Side surface and small cubby
Everything was in good working order, but I found the wireless charging slightly sensitive - it worked more reliably with my phone out of its case. One area that needs honest acknowledgment: the IFE screen. At 17.5 inches with a thick bezel, it reads as undersized for the available real estate and gives the cabin a slightly dated look. It's a noticeable gap compared to United's Polaris Studio with its 27-inch OLED and Delta's 24-inch 4K QLED on the incoming A350-1000. The content and system were excellent, but the presentation of the IFE system itself is behind.
That aside, seat 1A felt private, spacious, and very well finished. Compared to AA's Super Diamond seats still on most 787s, this is a different category of product entirely.
Food and Drink
Pre-departure drinks were offered - water, champagne, or orange juice. I missed the service while talking with the crew, but the cabin was well looked after throughout.
Shortly after cruise, meal service opened with a welcome drink followed by a dish of warm mixed nuts and olives with stuffed peppers. That last addition - the olives and peppers alongside the nuts - is a newer touch that makes the pre-meal course feel more intentional than just the standard warm nuts.
A bread basket with warm rolls, starter, and salad were also provided.
I pre-ordered the Beef Smoked Sunday Roast that included tender slices of smoked beef, crispy roasted potatoes, broccoli, and a potato-cauliflower gratin with horseradish cream. Catering out of Heathrow always seems to be a level above what AA serves domestically, and this confirmed it. I overheard other passengers talking about the dish as we deplaned.
Full main course menu on AA 91 (LHR-ORD):
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Beef Smoked Sunday Roast | Roasted potatoes, broccoli, potato-cauliflower gratin, light horseradish sauce |
| Grilled Sea Bass | Warm potato salad, asparagus tips, tomatoes on the vine, mustard vinaigrette |
| Tomato & Mozzarella Cannelloni | Creamy spinach, parmesan cheese, pesto rosso sauce |
| Sesame Soy Chicken | Sautéed spinach, jasmine rice, hoisin sauce |
Meal pacing was tight and the was followed by cheese or dessert. It's not dining-on-demand like Qatar, and the wine list isn't on the same level. That said, the food itself held up well and the comfort food approach that AA takes suited a daytime departure.
For dessert, the signature AA sundae remains one of the best things about flying Flagship Business: vanilla ice cream with toppings of your choice. I went for hot fudge, nuts, and whipped cream. This is one category where American has Qatar beat. Other options included a cheese course or baked tart.
Drinks throughout included champagne poured proactively during meal service, coffee and espresso, Coca-Cola products, sparkling water, and tea. I had a gin and tonic after takeoff and water for the rest of the flight. Unlike Qatar, the extent of cocktails on AA are simple mixed drinks.
IFE and Wi-Fi
The 17.5-inch 4K touchscreen was responsive and easy to navigate. I experienced no lag, and appreciated the extensive content library.
One feature worth calling out: the ability to preview what's playing on entertainment.aa.com before the flight, then favorite titles in advance. Going into a nine-hour flight with a curated watchlist already loaded is a helpful hack for maximizing your time in the air. AA also offers a Watch Party mode for viewing the same film as someone in another suite - a minor feature but a thoughtful one for those traveling together.
These seats also offer Bluetooth headphone pairing with their entertainment system. Pairing was fast and stayed connected reliably throughout the flight, including after I powered down my headphones during a nap and reconnected to resume a film.
Two IFE issues worth noting: the screen occasionally went to black or jumped to an AAdvantage screensaver mid-content, requiring a screen tap to restore. And there was no obvious way to turn off the screen while sleeping. I only realized later that it dims automatically after a period of inactivity. Neither is a major problem, but both felt unpolished for an otherwise premium system. Most content was also not in 4K, Interstellar being a rare exception. As the library grows that should hopefully improve.
The aircraft was equipped with Viasat, and Wi-Fi was free for AAdvantage members with no time or device limits. Midflight Speedtest results:
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Download | 63 Mbps |
| Ping | 906 ms |
| Streaming | Netflix and YouTube both ran without buffering |
For context, this wasn't far off what I experienced on Qatar's Starlink-equipped aircraft. Compared to the older Panasonic systems still on AA's 777s and legacy 787s, it's a material improvement. The free internet access does a huge job in improving American's overall passenger experience.
Sleep and Suite Door
There's no turndown service in Flagship Business, but a mattress pad, pajamas, and slippers are placed at the seat. I made up the bed myself after the meal with both pillows, blankets, and a mattress pad. The pad was exceptionally plush, among the best I've experienced on any airline. Bedding felt on par with or potentially even better than Qatar's offering on the same aircraft type.
After the cabin lights dimmed I reclined into bed mode and closed the suite door. Like Qatar's 787-9, the door is on the lower side and has a two-to-three-inch gap at the side, but 1A felt private and quiet throughout the sleep portion of the flight. The larger footwell in the Preferred row was particularly useful for sleeping on my side without fighting a restrictive tray table.
One practical note: flight attendants are instructed not to disturb passengers with the door closed. If you want a drink refill or something from the galley, slide the door open first.
Arrival into Chicago
The approach over frozen Canada and Lake Huron gave a good view out the window before we crossed into the US.
We landed 40 minutes ahead of schedule and pulled into a gate after a short wait for ground crew.
Global Entry made immigration fast. From the international terminal I took the airport transit to Terminal 3, re-cleared security, and spent some time in the Flagship Lounge before the final leg home.
Final Thoughts
This was the first international AA flight in years that left me genuinely impressed. The Flagship Suite is an extremely competitive product. Preferred bulkhead seats like 1A provide an even more exceptional experience for those who know to look for it.
A few things keep it from being perfect - while minor, they can have a big impact on passenger experience and product perceptions. The screen is too small for the cabin and is dwarfed by those on Delta and United's new suites. Some functionality on the IFE systems - like powering the screen down to sleep - are less than intuitive. But on hard product, bedding, Wi-Fi, and crew perspective - this was an excellent flight.
Thank you to John and the whole flight deck team for the pre-departure walkthrough. It was a great way to wrap up the trip.
Part of the Around the World on Miles series.
Around the World on Miles - Full Series
| Installment |
|---|
| DCA - JFK: AA E175 First Class |
| JFK Greenwich Lounge Review |
| JFK SoHo Lounge Review |
| JFK - HND: AA 787-9 Flagship Business |
| Hyatt Caption Tokyo Review |
| JAL Sky Museum Review |
| JAL First Class Lounge NRT Review |
| NRT - DOH: Qatar Airways 787-9 Qsuites |
| Adventures on the Doha Metro |
| Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha Review |
| Qatar Airways Premium Check-In at DOH |
| Qatar Airways Travel Boutique at DOH |
| Al Mourjan Business Lounge Review |
| The Orchard at Doha Airport |
| Al Mourjan The Garden Review |
| DOH - CPH: Qatar Airways Qsuites Mini |
| CPH - LHR: British Airways Club Europe |
| LHR T5 to T3 Transfer: Photo Guide |
| LHR Premium Lounges (coming soon) |
| LHR - ORD: AA 787-9P Flagship Suite Preferred |
| ORD Premium Lounges (coming soon) |