Champagne in the lounge, designer kits at your seat. American taps Bollinger, Raven + Lily and Joanna Vargas skincare products across premium cabins.
Setting The Stage: American’s Premium Push
Airlines are chasing premium dollars, and American Airlines is leaning in. With demand softening in economy but holding strong up front, American is rolling out higher touch perks that speak to travelers who value a better glass, a better screen, and a better night’s sleep. The headline moves are new limited-edition amenity kits and a Champagne partnership with Bollinger. The goal is simple: make the premium cabin feel like the reason you chose the flight.
“At American, our focus is on elevating the experience for our customers and we’re excited to announce this partnership with Champagne Bollinger,” said Heather Garboden, American’s Chief Customer Officer. “A House as storied as Bollinger is the perfect fit for American on the eve of our centennial year.” – American Airlines
Amenity Kits With Real Brand Power
American’s latest kits feel purpose built for carry-on life. The small leather bags come from Raven + Lily, a sustainable label, and inside you will find the useful bits that matter on long hauls. Earplugs and eye masks are standard, but the differentiator is skincare by celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas. This is the first time Vargas products are on every premium flight for American, which turns a routine refresh into something closer to a hotel turndown. The kits began rolling out at the end of September on select international and transcontinental routes.
Premium cabin customers in flagship first, flagship business,and flagship suite preferred seats will experience elevated versions of the new amenity kits for American Airlines, while premium economy will have its own version a slightly less impressive take. The thoughtfully designed kits feature plant-based products and are available on international and transcontinental flights.
Premium Economy Gets A Nod Too
It is not only business and first that get attention. On select international widebody flights, premium economy passengers will also receive amenity kits. That small touch has outsized impact when you are not in the pointy end but still paid for more comfort.
Champagne Bollinger In The Flagship Lounges
Lounges are where the trip’s tone is set. American will now pour Bollinger Special Cuvée as the exclusive Champagne in its Flagship Lounges. You can expect a welcome glass at Dallas Fort Worth, Miami, and Chicago O’Hare. Los Angeles and Philadelphia are up next in the coming weeks. It is a clear signal that the carrier wants the pre-flight experience to feel properly premium, not just good enough.
Paris First: Bollinger Takes To The Sky
Starting in October, Bollinger becomes the exclusive pour in Flagship Business on all flights to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle. American plans to widen that service to additional international Flagship routes in the months ahead. For travelers connecting through Paris, it creates a neat end-to-end thread. Lounge to seat, the label stays consistent.
The Bigger Strategy: More Space Where It Sells
American’s newest Boeing 787-9s arrive with more premium seats than other widebodies in the fleet. The airline says it wants to grow premium capacity by about fifty percent by the end of the decade. That aligns with what we have seen across the industry. Customers will enjoy bigger screens too, including talk of 27-inch 4K OLED panels, and menus now flirt with restaurant-style touches like Ossetra caviar amuse-bouches. The “premium arms race” is not a slogan. It is where airlines believe the margin lives. As for when and where American Airlines debuts the new aircraft outside of the prior disclosed Chicago and Philadelphia to London routes, is anyone’s guess.
Why This Matters Right Now
The premium segment has been a bright spot since the pandemic, and industry watchers at outlets like The Points Guy have called out how consistently it performs. Even budget carriers are experimenting with nicer seats to capture a slice of that spend. American is not just keeping pace. By pairing recognizable luxury brands with practical inflight upgrades, the airline is trying to make premium feel tangible before the cabin door even closes.
Conclusion
American’s partnership with Champagne Bollinger and its new Raven + Lily amenity kits stocked with Joanna Vargas skincare show a clear intent. The Fort Worth, Texas based airline is building a premium journey that starts in the lounge, continues at your seat, and rewards travelers who are willing to pay for a better experience. With more premium seats arriving on the 787-9 and a plan to expand that footprint through the decade, American is not dabbling. It is investing. If the promise holds through consistent delivery, the carrier will earn more of those high-value bookings that decide network schedules and shape cabins for years to come.
