According to CNBC, American Airlines will add seatback screens with 4K displays to new Boeing and Airbus deliveries starting in 2028 as it works to narrow a profit gap with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. The carrier also plans to retrofit aircraft so passengers in all cabins can use the screens, along with Bluetooth audio pairing and USB-C charging, and said the installations should be finished in the early 2030s.

Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said the technology has improved significantly since the airline decided more than a decade ago not to install seatback screens, and she said better customer satisfaction can also generate revenue. She declined to disclose the cost of the initiative.

American also said Tuesday that its cabin revamp will include more first-class seats on Airbus A321neos and Boeing 737 Max 10s, plus more extra legroom seats across its fleet. The airline reported second-quarter profit of $71 million, compared with $805 million for United Airlines and $1.6 billion for Delta.