American Airlines has rolled out a new retro-themed “Flagship” livery as part of its preparations for the carrier’s 100th anniversary in 2026. The scheme, applied to a Boeing 777-300ER registered N735AT, made its debut at the airline’s Dallas/Fort Worth hub on Sunday.
The design incorporates several elements from American’s early paint schemes, including a polished-metal look, an orange lightning-bolt stripe along the fuselage, and a heritage eagle roundel on the aft section. The aircraft also carries “Flagship DFW” titling, referencing the airline’s largest hub.
In addition, the aircraft features painted flaps and ‘AA’ titling on the underside of its wings, similar to American’s historic “Flagship” branding, which first appeared on the Douglas DC-3 in the 1930s.
“This design evokes our rich history while looking ahead to our next 100 years,” said Ron DeFeo, American’s chief communications officer, in an October news release. The airline noted that the livery uses its Silver Eagle finish, which appears across more than 1,600 aircraft in the mainline and regional fleets.
The 777-300ER was painted at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Peru, Indiana, over about two weeks.
The new design adds to American’s existing roster of retro-themed aircraft. The airline currently operates several older liveries commemorating predecessor carriers — including TWA, Piedmont, PSA, America West, Reno Air, and others — on its narrowbody fleets.
