American Could Order Up to 70 Widebodies With Thursday’s Earnings; FAA Probes 787 Tire Blowout at O’Hare

October 21, 2026 — American Airlines heads into its third-quarter earnings report on Thursday amid reports that it could pair the results with a large widebody aircraft order. Separately, the FAA is investigating after an American Boeing 787 arriving from Barcelona blew a tire on landing at Chicago O’Hare on Tuesday.

Possible order for up to 70 long-haul jets

View from the Wing reported on October 20, and Aviation A2Z followed on October 21, that American could announce an order for 50, 60 or up to 70 widebody aircraft. American has not confirmed any order.

• Aircraft in the running: reports name the Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 and the Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000. View from the Wing also lists the A330-900 and, as less likely, the 777X; Aviation A2Z says the latest information excludes the A330-900.
• Timing: possibly alongside earnings on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper has said a deal is expected within a couple of months.
• Deliveries: from 2030, according to Pieper.
• Purpose: rebuilding Los Angeles as a Pacific gateway, adding Asia flying and adding more premium seats.

Pieper has called the A330 family the “perfect Atlantic airplane.” The 777-200s are expected to stay for some time because they are getting new cabin interiors.

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Earnings on Thursday

American reports third-quarter results before the market opens on October 22. In July it guided to an adjusted loss of US$0.10 to US$0.70 per share for the quarter, with fuel assumed at about US$3.75 a gallon. Live and Let’s Fly notes that CEO Robert Isom has said fourth-quarter capacity could be trimmed if fuel prices stay high. The fourth-quarter outlook is TBA until Thursday.

787 tire blowout at O’Hare

An American Boeing 787 flying from Barcelona to Chicago O’Hare blew a tire while landing at about 2:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after the crew reported a brake issue. The aircraft landed safely with 234 passengers and 11 crew. Passengers left the aircraft by stairs and were bused to the terminal. One person was taken to the hospital and was reported in good condition. The flight number has not been published (TBA), and the FAA says it will investigate.

What it means for travelers

• Watch Thursday’s earnings for any fourth-quarter capacity trims. Fewer flights would mean fuller planes over the holidays.
• A large widebody order would not add seats until 2030 at the earliest, so it does not change near-term long-haul flights. Longer term, more Pacific flying from Los Angeles and more premium seats are what to watch for.
• The O’Hare incident involved a single aircraft. Check your flight status if you are listed on the Barcelona–Chicago route or on 787 flying out of O’Hare in the next few days, in case of an aircraft swap.

Sources

• View from the Wing — American Airlines Could Order Up To 70 Long Haul Jets This Week—Making A Bigger Bet On Business Class And Asia
• Aviation A2Z — American Airlines Could Order 70 New Jets in Major Long-Haul Shake-Up
• Live and Let’s Fly — American Reports Thursday With Fuel And Debt Looming
• AirlineGeeks — American 787 Blows Tire Landing at O’Hare