American Airlines Is Using AI Across the Customer Journey

American Airlines is leveraging AI across the travel journey, finding new ways the technology could make travel easier for customers.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Heather Garboden, American Airlines’ Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, explains how the airline approaches customer experience at scale. As a Fortune 100 company serving more than 220 million passengers annually with approximately 140,000 team members, American prioritizes CX investments, uses customer data to guide decisions, and identifies opportunities for AI throughout the journey.

AI also supports service recovery, allowing American to proactively support customers after disruptions.

American Airlines aims to deliver a consistent customer experience by bringing together digital channels—including its app, website, text, email, and push notifications—with human interactions from airport agents, flight attendants, and pilots.

To determine where to invest, the airline focuses on foundational needs, experiences that could make customers stay or leave, and experiences that drive customer choice. Customer data helps identify the most impactful opportunities and build support for investment. The goal is to combine technology and human interaction to create a calm, seamless experience that reduces travel stress.

Main Highlights From Our Conversation

• AI Across Trip Discovery and Service Recovery
• Consistent CX Across a Global Airline
• Prioritizing CX Investments Around Needs, Pain Points, and Choice
• Customer Data That Guides CX Investment

Listen to the full episode to learn more about American Airlines’ approach to AI and CX, including the tools already in use and the new opportunities the airline is exploring.