A review of American Airlines business class on the Boeing 777 from Rome to New York
Quick take: With friendly service, decent food and spacious seats, American Airlines business class on the Boeing 777-200 was comfortable, if not remarkable.
Pros:
- There was an excellent selection of lounges in Rome, with good duty-free shopping and efficient boarding.
- Seats were comfortable and well-padded.
- Friendly service and an on-time departure made for a great flight.
Cons:
- The aging planes' business-class cabins are a bit shopworn.
- The headrest on lie-flat seats sticks up a few inches, which can impact sleeping comfort.
- Seats are wide enough for sleeping, though they have tight footwells.
Rome is becoming an increasingly important European market for U.S. carriers. United just added a second daily flight to the Eternal City from Washington, D.C. American Airlines has also beefed up its flights to Rome. Last summer, the Dallas-Fort Worth-based carrier was operating seven flights daily to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) from various cities, including twice-daily flights from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). AA tells TPG that next summer, so far, they will only offer once-daily service to Rome.
I came across a pretty great airfare deal flying round trip from Rome to New York in American Airlines business class (you can often book tickets for cheaper when originating in Europe), so I decided to give the service a try.
Here is what the full experience was like flying American Airlines business class aboard the Boeing 777-200.
How much does business class cost to book on American Airlines?
American Airlines operates the Boeing 777-200 on many of its international flights, including to several European cities. Award availability using American Airlines AAdvantage miles is plentiful, though not always at the lower levels.
Here is the range of round-trip cash and award rates on New York to Rome flights when available in the spring, summer and early next fall (note that the route is not currently operating but will go back into service in March 2024).
| Class | Economy | Premium economy | Business class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airfare | $841-$2,494 | $1,834-$4,220 | $2,760-$9,635 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage miles | 61,000-159,000 miles plus $63 | 108,000-290,000 plus $63 | 308,000-677,000 miles plus $63 |
I paid $3,033 for my round-trip ticket from Rome to New York, with a departure date in October 2023 and a return in July 2024 when I plan to take my mother there for a family trip.
I used my Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), so I could earn Loyalty Points as part of an American Airlines "Instant Status Pass" opportunity. I earned 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent using the card, plus the 11 Loyalty Points per dollar I earned as an Executive Platinum elite. The 17,875 Loyalty Points I earned on this first leg of my round-trip ticket went a long way toward qualifying me for Executive Platinum status during my four-month challenge period.
I could have used my Platinum Card® from American Express, which accrues 5 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
Both cash fares and mileage redemptions in American Airlines business class to or from Europe include free seat selection, two checked bags up to 70 pounds each, one carry-on and one personal item.
Checking into and boarding business class on American Airlines
American Airlines business-class passengers can expect the following priority services at the airport.
| Lounge available | Yes, Plaza Premium, Prima Vista and British Airways lounges. |
|---|---|
| Fast Track access | Yes |
| Boarding group | Group 1 |
When departing the U.S., you can also take advantage of TSA PreCheck if you're a member.
American Airlines operates from Terminal 3 at Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport. It's a very busy terminal for international departures, including British Airways, ITA Airways and El Al, to name a few.
The check-in for American Airlines was at the end of the terminal in what appeared to be a separate departures area for U.S.-bound flights.
Even though I had conveniently checked in for my flight online and got a boarding pass via the American Airlines app, I still wanted to see what it would be like checking in at the counters.
There were two separate lines. I could use the Priority line because I was traveling in business class (and I would have had access via my Executive Platinum status). There were eight ticket counters for priority passengers, with all the desks staffed when I checked in about three hours before my flight.
Main cabin passengers had a separate line with 15 counters, most of which were staffed, and there were no long lines for any passengers when I checked in. There were also 11 self-service kiosks.
I waited about five minutes in the priority line before a friendly agent helped me. She told me there wasn't a VIP security line saying, "I'm sorry, there is no TSA PreCheck." When I clarified I was just referring to a priority security lane, she said there wasn't any. That turned out to be incorrect. I could use a fast-track lane by scanning my boarding pass.
The agent also reminded me I had access to the giant Plaza Premium Lounge that passengers can find once they exit security screening and passport control by heading left in the duty-free shops. Check-in took just a few minutes, then the fast-track security line took just another five minutes before a short wait for passport control at the automated gates and an exit stamp by an immigration agent.
It turned out there was also a nearly empty British Airways lounge next door to the Plaza Premium Lounge that I could access as well. In fact, all passengers with Oneworld elite access or traveling on a Oneworld carrier in business class are eligible to use that lounge. That's where I spent the majority of my time before my flight.
The British Airways lounge was lovely, especially since it was so empty, with great views of Wizz Air planes at the nearby gates.
The lounge served several types of wine, including Astoria Ribolla Gialla sparkling and Amatus Chardonnay.
There were also plenty of name-brand spirits like Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky, Smirnoff vodka and Gordon's gin. Coca-Cola and Coke Zero soft drinks were stocked in the refrigerators, along with San Benedetto sparkling and still water.
There were no bathrooms or showers in the BA lounge, and the Plaza Premium Lounge's five showers were fully booked, so I wasn't able to shower ahead of the flight in either lounge.
I didn't spend much time in the Plaza Premium Lounge, but I stopped by for a Lavazza coffee (and to take photos).
There was a hot bar with freshly prepared eggs and other breakfast foods cooked in the attached kitchen. There were cold breakfast items laid out on the bar, including pastries, cereal, fruit and yogurt.
There were plenty of electrical outlets and a large variety of seating arrangements. It was crowded, but not so much that there wasn't room to sit.
Most impressive was the fully stocked bar with a huge selection of high-end wines and spirits. Among the brands I saw were Grey Goose vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin and Maker's Mark bourbon. There was also Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer on tap. Impressively, there was an enormous Dr. Vranjes Firenze diffuser at the bar.
I left the lounge early because I had to head to a remote gate, E-43, which required a long walk and a train ride.
There is another small Plaza Premium Lounge on the main concourse near gate E-41. You need to take an elevator or stairs down one level. The food and drinks available were similar to the larger Plaza Premium Lounge at the main entrance to Terminal 3.
It was a two-minute walk to my gate, where boarding began promptly an hour before the flight at 9:30 a.m. Passengers who needed extra time were allowed to board first, followed by business-class passengers in boarding group 1. The process was smooth and orderly, and the plane's doors were closed several minutes before our 10:30 a.m. departure.
How comfortable was business class on American Airlines?
My flight was operated via a 21-year-old Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with space for 273 passengers.
The business-class cabin was divided into two mini-cabins split by the main boarding door area and a galley. This plane had Rockwell Collins Super Diamond seats by Collins Aerospace, which are among American's best seats. Despite some tightness at the feet, a narrower hip area, and the fixed tray table, I was able to get an hour of rest on my daytime flight.
Just be aware that some of American Airlines' 777-200s have less comfortable Zodiac seats, some of which face forward while others face backward. The planes have similar-looking seat maps, and aircraft are sometimes swapped, so there's no reliable way to know ahead of time what you'll get.
On American's 777-200s, there are a total of 37 business-class seats laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration. The front cabin has five rows of four seats across, plus a single seat in row 6 along the right side. The aft business-class cabin has four additional rows of four seats each.
I had chosen seat 3A in the forward cabin but ended up switching with the passenger in seat 4A so he could sit nearer to his wife.
Here's the basic layout of the cabin and seats.
| Cabin layout | 1-2-1 |
|---|---|
| Recline | Fully flat, 81 inches |
| Seat width | 21.9 inches |
| Screen size | 18 inches |
There are a few seats to avoid, especially those near the bathrooms and galley.
| Best seats for couples | Any pair of D and H seats in rows 2-5 or 7-9 |
|---|---|
| Seats to avoid | All seats in row 10 due to the proximity to the premium economy cabin and middle seats in row 1 (H and D) since you are so close to the bathroom in the front of the plane. You may want to skip seat 6L as well since it's close to a restroom. |
On the window side of my seat was a large console with two cubbies with lids that popped open.
Inside the larger of the two was a handheld remote to control the various inflight entertainment (IFE) functions, a universal charging plug, a headphone jack and two USB-A charging ports.
The smaller cubby was also shallow, and my wallet and passport case were just small enough to allow the lid to close. When the lids are closed, it becomes a large shelf that is an additional space in the seat to put your laptop or reading material in case you need to get up. Unfortunately, it didn't look like either of the cubbies had been cleaned thoroughly in a while.
The seat's bifold tray table slid out from under the entertainment screen and measured 18 1/2 inches by 17 inches when fully deployed, easily large enough for my 14-inch laptop.
Above the console was a literature rack that held the safety card for the aircraft and where I tucked my paper menu.
At about elbow level on the left side of the seat, there was touchscreen with seat controls that could maneuver the seat in lie-flat, lounging, or fully upright, as well as allowing me to manipulate the individual components of the seat. As you can see in the photo above, the seats were showing their age. While the plane didn't feel dirty by any stretch of the imagination, it could have used a deep cleaning.
There were also two lighting options, an ambient light underneath the literature rack and a small reading light on the upper part of the seat shell.
I had two large windows with views of a parked El Al jet and an Air Canada plane during our taxi. I also got a peek at another American Airlines jet as we moved into takeoff position.
There was also a small cubby on the lower left portion at the bottom of my seat, where I placed my empty headset case during the flight. As you can see, it was pretty scuffed up and dusty.
Finally, there was also storage in the armrest along the aisle. The armrest can be lowered, and the top pops open with a push of a button. It was handy for storing a water bottle and a few snacks during the flight.
Fortunately, there were two overhead reading lights and air nozzles so I could control the temperature in the area around my seat.
The seats are wide and comfortable, measuring around 21 inches at the hip (American says they are 21.9 inches at their widest, which might be around the shoulder area).
The problem (for me) was the narrow footwell when in lie-flat position. The opening is around 17 inches wide but then narrows down to just 10 inches. It doesn't leave your feet a lot of wiggle room when lying down completely. There was also a narrowing of the seat at the hip area in fully flat mode. Note also there is a small gap between the headrest and the back of the seat that makes it feel like you are not fully flat. The seats were also a little worse for wear in some spots.
There were three restrooms for the 37-seat business-class cabin. There were two bathrooms on either side of the galley between the two business class sections and another on the front left side of the aircraft not far from the cockpit.
All three bathrooms were large, but the one near the boarding door was especially spacious (it even had a sliding door). All three were kept clean during the flight, and I never saw lines form to use them. Sadly, the restroom had no amenities besides the hand soap.
Amenities in American Airlines business class
Already waiting at my seat when I boarded was a Bang & Olufsen headset, a bottle of water, a Shinola-branded amenity kit and a paper menu. I find the B&O headsets are of excellent quality and make for a quiet and enjoyable sound experience. I only wish they didn't collect them so soon.
I'm not a huge fan of the Shinola amenity kits since they strike me as rather plain. However, they do have all the basics like an eye mask, ear plugs, Radio Bombay lotion, Rose Atlantic lip balm by D.S. & Durga and a dental kit.
The crew collected headsets about 45 minutes before landing, which is always frustrating, though they did hand out disposable ones so we could continue watching the inflight entertainment.
There was also a large plastic-wrapped pillow and Casper blanket. The blanket was comfortable but lightweight, so I didn't get too warm while napping. The pillow was just the right balance between firm and soft. I missed the extra Casper lumbar pillows AA offers in Flagship First on select routes).
Wi-Fi provided by Panasonic was available on the flight. Prices ranged from $29 for a two-hour pass to $35 for the full-flight package with no data limits.
I paid $35 for the full-flight pass Wi-Fi. The internet speed wasn't great, with one test showing as "very slow."
It stalled out a few times, and when it came back on, the speed was a bit better. Still, I can't recommend the Wi-Fi since it's pricey for a not-so-dependable experience. American is rolling out improved satellite Wi-Fi on its long-haul planes, so I'll be eager to test that out in the future.
American Airlines has hundreds of entertainment options, including movies, television shows, games, a kid's channel, music and inflight information. There's even a chat function, though I was the only one in the chat when I joined.
There is also an interactive Panasonic Voyager 3D map, "Powered by Airshow," though there's no camera in the tail, so no live view of the flight.
I counted 68 new-release movies alone. Among them were "Avatar: The Way Of Water," "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," "An Irish Goodbye" and "The Little Mermaid." In honor of Halloween, there were 38 "Spooky Season" movies, including "Beetlejuice," "The Cabin in the Woods" and "Evil Dead."
Among the television shows available were several Showtime and AppleTV titles, including "Foundation," "The Morning Show" and "Hidden Planet." On Showtime, I watched part of a documentary on tennis legend John McEnroe called "McEnroe The Price of Perfection" and one episode of "George & Tammy."
My neighbor and I both had a lot of lagging issues with the entertainment, sort of like a bad streaming experience. Still, the options were watchable, if a bit frustrating at times.
How was the food in American Airlines business class?
During boarding, the cabin crew offered passengers a choice of Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve Champagne, orange juice or water. The flight attendant named Steven working my aisle was especially friendly.
Menus were already at the seats in the business class cabin.
Before takeoff, flight attendants came through to take orders for lunch. American Airlines lets business-class passengers pre-select their entrees, though, for some reason, my original choice of chicken wasn't recorded. I changed my mind and wanted the steak anyway, so it worked out fine.
The only option for a starter was the salmon tataki served with a rhubarb and ginger compote. It came with seasonal greens described as mixed leaf salad, baby artichokes, and red and yellow cherry tomatoes served with balsamic vinaigrette. A selection of warm breads was also listed.
The main course menu options included:
- Grilled sirloin steak with truffle jus with a potato and celery gratin, caramelized carrots and roasted leek slices
- Roasted corn-fed chicken in a rosemary sauce, served with a cauliflower mash, sauteed broccoli with garlic and roasted pumpkin
- Prawns in a machboos sauce served with basmati rice, sweet and sour eggplant and naan bread
- Triangoli pasta tartufo served in a port wine sauce, oyster mushrooms and sauteed spinach
Flight attendants distributed hot towels about 20 minutes after takeoff. Linens were put down at the same time, and drinks and warm nuts were served just a few minutes later off a cart.
Among the drinks on offer were Barcardi rum, Aviation gin, Tito's Handmade Vodka and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. Bailey's Irish Cream was also available.
American also offers Coke products, Bigelow tea and Minute Maid juices. Beers available included Bud Light, Dos Equis, Heineken, Goose IPA and Truly Hard Seltzer. There were two white wines available: New Zealand's Invivo X Sauvignon Blanc by Sarah Jessica Parker and Rocca delle Macie Moonlite Chardonnay from Tuscany. Red wines included Portillo Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina and Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Rouge from the Rhone Valley in France.
The first course of a salmon tataki appetizer with seasonal greens and warm bread was served an hour after takeoff.
It was fine. I found the salmon to be too fishy, but I'm not especially fond of seafood to begin with. The mixed greens were good, though they could have done with a little more romaine leaves. The bread selection was good, though I find the bread on American Airlines can be a bit hard at times.
For the main course, I had the steak, which was served with a delicious potato and celery gratin, caramelized carrots and roasted leek slices. The sirloin was served with truffle jus. Unlike other steaks I've had on American, this was cooked perfectly and retained a little of the pink inside the meat. I thoroughly enjoyed the steak.
I didn't love the roasted leeks, as they were a bit tough. The caramelized carrots were perfectly cooked, however, with a nice touch of sweetness. As for the cauliflower mash, I could eat that every day of the week and be happy.
There were also several dessert options:
- Classic sundaes with a choice of toppings
- Fruit plate
- Cheesecake
I got to sample two different desserts. I had a butterscotch sundae with extra whipped cream, and Steven also brought me a cheesecake. Both desserts were delicious.
Flight attendants put out snacks in the mid-cabin galley between the two business class cabins after the meal service concluded. There were finger sandwiches, small dishes of fruit or carrot sticks and hummus, Well & Truly Crunchies and Peakz crunchy, salted caramel chocolates.
There was also bottled water available. Every time I went back, a flight attendant asked if I needed a drink.
A light meal was served around an hour and 20 minutes before landing in New York. All passengers were offered cocktails or wine, fresh juice, tea, and coffee, as well as a choice of the following hot items:
- Toasted barbecue sandwich with pulled beef and melted brie in the middle
- Orzo pasta salad with garden peas, zucchini, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, pepper pearls, pumpkin seeds and balsamic vinaigrette
I had the barbecue sandwich, which was smothered in melted cheese and served with a dish of fresh fruit, Kent sea salt and vinegar crisps, and a Lily O'Brien's milk chocolate mousse with caramel sauce. While it wasn't the healthiest choice, it sure was delicious.
Service throughout the flight was excellent, with a friendly crew of nine flight attendants. Steven and Mia, who worked my row, were especially polite and cheerful, while other flight attendants also regularly passed through the cabin to see if passengers needed anything. Another member of the crew procured a new headset for me when my first pair wasn't working.
I did the flight attendant call button test. It took several minutes for them to respond, as they were getting ready for landing at the time.
My flight was scheduled for about 8 1/2 hours. After an on-time departure, we arrived in New York 45 minutes early. While it meant I had less time to enjoy business class, it was still good to get home early, and I'm sure connecting passengers were happy.
Would you recommend American Airlines business class?
After a pleasant flight from Rome to New York, I would recommend American Airlines business class. It's not the fanciest or newest business class, but it's a comfortable way to cross the Atlantic. I lucked out with a great crew and even arrived in New York early.
American's Super Diamond seats feel spacious, though I have a few quibbles, like the tightness at the hips and feet, and the headrest that doesn't quite lay flat. Still, I had the better of two versions of the airline's 777-200 seats.
Don't worry if you end up with the Zodiac seats instead; I've found those Zodiac seats fairly comfortable for sleeping on overnight flights I've taken recently, despite the fact that they feel like they move a little or "rock." I think they recline a bit flatter since there's not as much of a gap between the headrest and the back of the seat.
If you can find a decent deal on AA business class to Europe, it's a nice ride, especially if you get a great crew like the one I had.
Related reading:
- Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
- Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
- What is American Airlines elite status worth?
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines