UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Transition Period From                          to                         

Commission file number 1-8400

American Airlines Group Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware				75-1825172
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)				(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
1 Skyview Drive,	Fort Worth,	Texas	76155	(682)	278-9000
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)				Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share	AAL	The Nasdaq Global Select Market
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights	—	(1)

(1) Attached to the Common Stock

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Commission file number 1-2691

American Airlines, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware				13-1502798
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)				(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
1 Skyview Drive,	Fort Worth,	Texas	76155	(682)	278-9000
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)				Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

____________________________________________________

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

American Airlines Group Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐
American Airlines, Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

American Airlines Group Inc.	Yes	☐	No	☒
American Airlines, Inc.	Yes	☐	No	☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

American Airlines Group Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐
American Airlines, Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

American Airlines Group Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐
American Airlines, Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

American Airlines Group Inc.	☒	Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐	Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☐	Emerging growth company
American Airlines, Inc.	☐	Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☒	Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☐	Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

American Airlines Group Inc.	☐
American Airlines, Inc.	☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.

American Airlines Group Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐
American Airlines, Inc.	Yes	☒	No	☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

American Airlines Group Inc.	Yes	☐	No	☒
American Airlines, Inc.	Yes	☐	No	☒

As of February 17, 2023, there were 651,430,518 shares of American Airlines Group Inc. common stock outstanding. The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2022, was approximately $8.2 billion.

As of February 17, 2023, there were 1,000 shares of American Airlines, Inc. common stock outstanding, all of which were held by American Airlines Group Inc.

OMISSION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION

American Airlines, Inc. meets the conditions set forth in General Instruction I(1)(a) and (b) of Form 10-K and has therefore omitted the information otherwise called for by Items 10-13 of Form 10-K as allowed under General Instruction I(2)(c).

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the proxy statement related to American Airlines Group Inc.’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which proxy statement will be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 within 120 days of the end of American Airlines Group Inc.’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

American Airlines Group Inc.

American Airlines, Inc.

Form 10-K

Year Ended December 31, 2022

Table of Contents 

		Page
PART I
Item 1.	Business	7
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	28
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	56
Item 2.	Properties	57
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	59
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	59
PART II
Item 5.	Market for American Airlines Group’s Common Stock, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	60
Item 6.	Selected Consolidated Financial Data	63
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	67
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	83
Item 8A.	Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of American Airlines Group Inc.	85
Item 8B.	Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of American Airlines, Inc.	132
Item 9.	Changes In and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	176
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	176
Item 9B.	Other Information	180
Item 9C.	Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections	180
PART III
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	180
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	180
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	180
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence	180
Item 14.	Principal Accountant Fees and Services	180
PART IV
Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	181
Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary	206
SIGNATURES		207

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General

This report is filed by American Airlines Group Inc. (AAG) and its wholly-owned subsidiary American Airlines, Inc. (American). References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” and similar terms refer to AAG and its consolidated subsidiaries. References in this report to “mainline” refer to the operations of American only and exclude regional operations.

Glossary of Terms

For the convenience of the reader, the definitions of certain capitalized industry and other terms used in this report have been consolidated into a glossary beginning on page 20.

Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements contained in this report should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “continue,” “seek,” “target,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “if current trends continue,” “optimistic,” “forecast” and other similar words. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, estimates and strategies for the future, the continuing availability of borrowings under revolving lines of credit, and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are based on our current objectives, beliefs and expectations, and they are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and financial position and timing of certain events to differ materially from the information in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described below under Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors, Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).

All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors and elsewhere in this report. There may be other factors of which we are not currently aware that may affect matters discussed in the forward-looking statements and may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. We do not assume any obligation to publicly update or supplement any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such statements other than as required by law. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report or as of the dates indicated in the statements.

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Summary of Risk Factors

Our business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, or the trading price of our common stock or other securities. We caution the reader that these risk factors may not be exhaustive. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risks and uncertainties, nor can it assess the extent to which any of the risk factors below or any such new risks and uncertainties, or any combination thereof, may impact our business. These risks are more fully described in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors. These risks include, among others, the following:

Risks Related to our Business and Industry

•Downturns in economic conditions could adversely affect our business.

•We will need to obtain sufficient financing or other capital to operate successfully.

•Our high level of debt and other obligations may limit our ability to fund general corporate requirements and obtain additional financing, may limit our flexibility in responding to competitive developments and may cause our business to be vulnerable to adverse economic and industry conditions.

•We have significant pension and other postretirement benefit funding obligations, which may adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

•If our financial condition worsens, provisions in our credit card processing and other commercial agreements may adversely affect our liquidity.

•The loss of key personnel upon whom we depend to operate our business or the inability to attract and develop additional qualified personnel could adversely affect our business.

•Our business has been and will continue to be affected by many changing economic and other conditions beyond our control, including global events that affect travel behavior, and our results of operations could be volatile and fluctuate due to seasonality.

•Union disputes, employee strikes and other labor-related disruptions, or our inability to otherwise maintain labor costs at competitive levels and hire and retain a sufficient number of employees may adversely affect our operations and financial performance.

•If we encounter problems with any of our third-party regional operators or third-party service providers, our operations could be adversely affected by a resulting decline in revenue or negative public perception about our services.

•Any damage to our reputation or brand image could adversely affect our business or financial results.

•Changes to our business model that are designed to increase revenues may not be successful and may cause operational difficulties or decreased demand.

•Our intellectual property rights, particularly our branding rights, are valuable, and any inability to protect them may adversely affect our business and financial results.

•We may be a party to litigation in the normal course of business or otherwise, which could affect our financial position and liquidity.

•Our ability to utilize our NOLs and other carryforwards may be limited.

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•We have a significant amount of goodwill, which is assessed for impairment at least annually. In addition, we may never realize the full value of our intangible assets or long-lived assets, causing us to record material impairment charges.

•The airline industry is intensely competitive and dynamic.

•The commercial relationships that we have with other companies, including any related equity investments, may not produce the returns or results we expect.

•Our business is very dependent on the price and availability of aircraft fuel. Continued periods of high volatility in fuel costs, increased fuel prices or significant disruptions in the supply of aircraft fuel could have a significant negative impact on consumer demand, our operating results and liquidity.

•Our business is subject to extensive government regulation, which may result in increases in our costs, disruptions to our operations, limits on our operating flexibility, reductions in the demand for air travel, and competitive disadvantages.

•We operate a global business with international operations that are subject to economic and political instability and have been, and in the future may continue to be, adversely affected by numerous events, circumstances or government actions beyond our control.

•We may be adversely affected by conflicts overseas or terrorist attacks; the travel industry continues to face ongoing security concerns.

•We are subject to risks associated with climate change, including increased regulation of our CO2 emissions, changing consumer preferences and the potential increased impacts of severe weather events on our operations and infrastructure.

•A shortage of pilots or other personnel has in the past and could continue to materially adversely affect our business.

•We depend on a limited number of suppliers for aircraft, aircraft engines and parts.

•Delays in scheduled aircraft deliveries or other loss of anticipated fleet capacity, and failure of new aircraft to perform as expected, may adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

•We rely heavily on technology and automated systems to operate our business, and any failure of these technologies or systems could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

•Evolving data security and privacy requirements (in particular, compliance with applicable federal, state and foreign laws relating to handling of personal information about individuals) could increase our costs, and any significant data security or privacy incident could disrupt our operations, harm our reputation, expose us to legal risks and otherwise materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

•We rely on third-party distribution channels and must manage effectively the costs, rights and functionality of these channels.

•If we are unable to obtain and maintain adequate facilities and infrastructure throughout our system and, at some airports, adequate slots, we may be unable to operate our existing flight schedule and to expand or change our route network in the future, which may have a material adverse impact on our operations.

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PART I 

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Overview

American Airlines Group Inc. (AAG), a Delaware corporation, is a holding company and its principal, wholly-owned subsidiaries are American Airlines, Inc. (American), Envoy Aviation Group Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc. (PSA) and Piedmont Airlines, Inc. (Piedmont). AAG was formed in 1982, under the name AMR Corporation (AMR), as the parent company of American, which was founded in 1934.

AAG’s and American’s principal executive offices are located at 1 Skyview Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76155 and their telephone number is 682-278-9000.

Airline Operations

Together with our wholly-owned regional airline subsidiaries and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle, our primary business activity is the operation of a major network air carrier, providing scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo through our hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. and partner gateways, including in London, Doha, Madrid, Seattle/Tacoma, Sydney and Tokyo (among others). In 2022, over 199 million passengers boarded our flights. During 2022, we announced the return of several international routes that had been cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic and aircraft delivery delays.

As of December 31, 2022, we operated 925 mainline aircraft supported by our regional airline subsidiaries and third-party regional carriers, which together operated an additional 536 regional aircraft. See Part I, Item 2. Properties for further discussion of our mainline and regional aircraft and “Regional” below for further discussion of our regional operations.

American is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together a global network of 13 world-class member airlines and their affiliates, working together to provide a superior and seamless travel experience. See “Distribution and Marketing Agreements” below for further discussion on the oneworld Alliance and other agreements with domestic and international airlines.

See Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – “2022 Financial Overview,” “AAG’s Results of Operations” and “American’s Results of Operations” for further discussion of AAG’s and American’s operating results and operating performance. Also, see Note 1(m) to each of AAG’s and American’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Items 8A and 8B, respectively, for passenger revenue by geographic region and Note 13 to AAG’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8A and Note 12 to American’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8B for information regarding operating segments.

Regional

Our regional carriers provide scheduled air transportation under the brand name “American Eagle.” The American Eagle carriers include our wholly-owned regional carriers Envoy Air Inc. (Envoy), PSA and Piedmont, as well as third-party regional carriers including Republic Airways Inc. (Republic), SkyWest Airlines, Inc. (SkyWest), Mesa Airlines, Inc. (Mesa) and Air Wisconsin Airlines LLC (Air Wisconsin). Our regional carriers are an integral component of our operating network. We rely heavily on regional carriers to drive feeder traffic to our hubs from low-density markets that are not economical for us to serve with larger, mainline aircraft. In addition, regional carriers offer complementary service in many of our mainline markets. All American Eagle carriers use logos, service marks, aircraft paint schemes and uniforms similar to those of our mainline operations. In 2022, 48 million passengers boarded our regional flights, approximately 44% of whom connected to or from our mainline flights.

Our regional carrier arrangements are in the form of capacity purchase agreements. The capacity purchase agreements provide that all revenues, including passenger, in-flight, ancillary, mail and freight revenues, go to us. We control marketing, scheduling, ticketing, pricing and seat inventories. In return, we agree to pay predetermined fees to these airlines for operating an agreed-upon number of aircraft, without regard to the number of passengers on board. In addition, these agreements provide that we either reimburse or pay 100% of certain variable costs, such as airport landing fees, fuel and passenger liability insurance. We previously announced that we had entered into an agreement with Air Wisconsin, pursuant to which Air Wisconsin is expected to begin operating scheduled flights under the American Eagle name in the first quarter of 2023. Additionally, in December 2022, we announced a wind-down of our relationship with Mesa, which we expect to conclude in the second quarter of 2023.

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Cargo

Our cargo division provides a wide range of freight and mail services, with facilities and interline connections available across the globe. In 2022, we served more than 20,000 unique origin and destination pairs, transporting over 890 million pounds of time-sensitive freight and mail across our network. Also in 2022, we were named Best Cargo Airline from the Americas by Air Cargo News.

Distribution and Marketing Agreements

Passengers can purchase tickets for travel on American through several distribution channels, including our website (www.aa.com), our mobile app, our reservations centers and third-party distribution channels, including those provided by or through global distribution systems (e.g., Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport), conventional travel agents, travel management companies and online travel agents (e.g., Expedia, including its booking sites Orbitz and Travelocity, and Booking Holdings, including its booking sites Kayak and Priceline). In 2022, American entered into new long-term distribution agreements with Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport which will allow us to continue to provide convenient ways for customers to purchase travel from American. To remain competitive, we will need to manage our distribution costs and rights effectively, increase our distribution flexibility and improve the functionality of our proprietary and third-party distribution channels, while maintaining an industry-competitive cost structure. For more discussion, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – “We rely on third-party distribution channels and must manage effectively the costs, rights and functionality of these channels.”

In general, beyond nonstop city pairs, carriers that have the greatest ability to seamlessly connect passengers to and from markets have a competitive advantage. In some cases, however, foreign governments limit U.S. air carriers’ rights to transport passengers beyond designated gateway cities in foreign countries. In order to improve access to domestic and foreign markets, we have arrangements with other airlines including through the oneworld Alliance, other cooperation agreements, joint business agreements and marketing relationships, as further discussed below.

Member of oneworld Alliance

American is a founding member of the oneworld Alliance, which currently includes Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas Airways (Qantas), Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines and SriLankan Airlines. Fiji Airways is a oneworld connect partner and Oman Air is expected to join the oneworld Alliance in 2024. The oneworld Alliance links the networks of member carriers and their respective affiliates to enhance customer service and provide smooth connections to the destinations served by the alliance, including linking member carriers’ loyalty programs and providing reciprocal access to the carriers’ airport lounge facilities.

Cooperation and Joint Business Agreements

American has established a transatlantic joint business with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Finnair, a transpacific joint business with Japan Airlines and a joint business relating to Australia and New Zealand with Qantas. Joint business agreements enable the carriers involved to cooperate on flights between particular destinations and allow pooling and sharing of certain revenues and costs, enhanced loyalty program reciprocity and cooperation in other areas. Joint business agreements have become a common approach among major carriers to address key regulatory restrictions typically applicable to international airline service, including limitations on the foreign ownership of airlines and national laws prohibiting foreign airlines from carrying passengers beyond specific gateway cities. American and its joint business partners received regulatory approval to enter into each of these cooperation agreements and each has been granted antitrust immunity. Our competitors, including Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, are party to similar arrangements.

The business relationship under the transatlantic joint business benefits from a grant of antitrust immunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and was reviewed by the European Commission (EC) in July 2010. In connection with this review, we provided certain commitments to the EC regarding, among other things, the availability of take-off and landing slots at London Heathrow (LHR) or London Gatwick (LGW) airports. The commitments accepted by the EC were binding for 10 years. In October 2018, in anticipation of the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU), commonly referred to as Brexit, and the expiry of the EC commitments in July 2020, the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into the transatlantic joint business. We continue to fully cooperate with the CMA and, in September 2020 and April 2022, the CMA adopted interim measures that effectively extend the EC commitments until March 2026 in light of the uncertainty and other impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CMA plans to complete its investigation before the scheduled expiration of the interim measures in March 2026.

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Marketing Relationships

To improve access to each other’s markets, various U.S. and foreign air carriers, including American, have established marketing agreements with other airlines. These marketing agreements are intended to provide enhanced customer choice by means of an expanded network with reciprocal loyalty program participation and joint sales cooperation. As of December 31, 2022, American had codeshare, marketing and/or loyalty program relationships with Aer Lingus, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cape Air, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines Company Limited (China Southern Airlines), EL AL Israel Airlines, Etihad Airways, Fiji Airways, Finnair, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (GOL), Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, IndiGo, Japan Airlines, JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue), Jetstar, Jetstar Japan, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Silver Airways, SriLankan Airlines and Vueling Airlines.

In 2022, we entered into an investment agreement with GOL, a Brazilian low-cost airline. This expanded partnership with GOL includes an exclusive codeshare agreement allowing customers access to more than 30 destinations served by American in the U.S. and more than 30 destinations served by GOL in South America. Members of GOL’s SMILES and American’s AAdvantage loyalty programs will also benefit from a deeper loyalty program partnership. In addition, the expanded partnership with GOL will allow further commercial cooperation in areas such as purchasing, sales tools and systems integration, subject to relevant regulatory and contractual limitations.

Also in 2022, we expanded our strategic alliance with Qatar Airways, enabling American’s customers to book travel on Qatar Airways flights between the U.S. and Doha, Qatar and connecting to and from select destinations throughout the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia gateways. In addition to this expanded codeshare, we launched new service in 2022 from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Doha’s Hamad International Airport.

Additionally, in December 2022, we completed an investment agreement with JetSmart Airlines SpA (JetSMART), an ultra-low-cost carrier operating in South America, which includes a codeshare agreement that remains to be implemented.

In 2021, we began implementing key aspects of our marketing relationship with JetBlue, creating seamless connectivity for travelers in the U.S. Northeast and more choice for customers across our complementary domestic and international networks. This arrangement includes an alliance agreement with reciprocal codesharing on certain domestic and international routes from New York (JFK, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and provides for reciprocal loyalty program benefits. The arrangement does not include JetBlue’s transatlantic flying. Pursuant to federal law, American and JetBlue submitted this proposed alliance arrangement to the DOT for review. After American, JetBlue and the DOT agreed to a series of commitments, the DOT terminated its review of the proposed alliance in January 2021. The commitments include growth commitments to ensure capacity expansion, slot divestitures at JFK and at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, D.C. and antitrust compliance measures. Beyond this agreement with the DOT (the DOT Agreement), American and JetBlue will also refrain from certain kinds of coordination on certain city pair markets. Upon the DOT’s termination of its review of the proposed alliance, American and JetBlue implemented the proposed alliance subject to these commitments. On September 21, 2021, the United States Department of Justice (the DOJ), joined by Attorneys General from six states and the District of Columbia, filed an antitrust complaint against American and JetBlue in the District of Massachusetts alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust law in connection with the Northeast Alliance arrangement (the NEA). The parties presented their respective cases in a bench trial that commenced on September 27, 2022. Closing arguments from both parties were presented on November 18, 2022. A decision is expected in the first quarter of 2023. Separately, in December 2022, two putative class action lawsuits were filed in the Eastern District of New York also alleging that the NEA violated the antitrust law. Those lawsuits, which have been consolidated, seek monetary and injunctive relief. In February 2023, private party plaintiffs filed two additional putative class action antitrust complaints against American and JetBlue in the District of Massachusetts and the Eastern District of New York, respectively. We believe these complaints are without merit and are defending against them vigorously.

We also have a marketing relationship with Alaska Airlines which includes an expanded codeshare agreement (including codeshare on certain of our international routes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)), reciprocal loyalty program benefits and shared lounge access. Prior to its implementation, American and Alaska Airlines submitted this arrangement to the DOT for review pursuant to federal law. After the DOT allowed the review period to expire with no further actions, American and Alaska Airlines commenced implementation of this arrangement.

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Loyalty Program

Our loyalty program, AAdvantage®, was established to develop passenger loyalty by offering benefits and awards to travelers for their continued patronage with American and our partners. AAdvantage members earn mileage credits for flying on American, any oneworld Alliance airline or other partner airlines. For every dollar spent by flying on American, members earn mileage credits, and Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum status holders earn additional bonus mileage credits of 40%, 60%, 80% and 120%, respectively. Members also earn mileage credits by using the services of more than 1,000 non-flight partners, such as our co-branded credit cards, and certain hotel and car rental companies. The AAdvantage program in general, and our co-branded credit cards in particular, are significant assets of our business and have become increasingly important to our company over time.

Mileage credits can be redeemed for free or upgraded travel on American and participating airlines, membership to our Admirals Club® or for other non-flight awards, such as car rentals and hotels, from our program partners. Travel awards are available on all flights operated by American and at times are subject to capacity-controlled seating on flights operated by our partners. A member’s mileage credits generally do not expire if that member has any type of qualifying activity at least once every 24 months or if the AAdvantage member is the primary holder of a co-branded credit card. Starting in 2022, AAdvantage members have more pathways to status and only one metric to track: Loyalty Points, which can be earned through a variety of qualifying travel and non-travel activities, including use of our co-branded credit cards. Loyalty Points are used for measuring status qualification in the AAdvantage program over a 12-month period beginning on March 1 of each year. Status members can enjoy additional travel benefits of the AAdvantage program, including complimentary upgrades, checked bags, and Preferred and Main Cabin Extra seats, as well as priority check-in, security, boarding and baggage delivery when traveling on American, any oneworld Alliance airline or other partner airlines. In addition, we introduced Loyalty Point Rewards, which, starting in March 2023, will allow members to unlock benefits, rewards and choices before, between and beyond the traditional status tiers.

In 2022, AAdvantage was recognized as the Best Elite Program in the Americas by the 2022 Freddie Awards, which is based entirely on votes from travelers around the world. In addition, the editorial staff of the digital news outlet, The Points Guy, selected AAdvantage Executive Platinum Status as the Best U.S. Airline Elite Status and awarded Loyalty Points with the Innovation Award for Loyalty.

Under our agreements with AAdvantage members and program partners, we reserve the right to change the terms of the AAdvantage program at any time and without notice, and may end the program with six months’ notice. Program rules, partners, special offers, awards and requisite mileage levels for awards are subject to change.

During 2022, our members redeemed approximately 13 million awards, including travel redemptions for flights and upgrades on American and other air carriers, as well as redemption of car and hotel awards, club memberships and merchandise. Approximately 7% of our 2022 total revenue passenger miles flown were from award travel.

See Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” for more information on our loyalty program.

Industry Competition

Domestic

The markets in which we operate are highly competitive. On most of our domestic nonstop routes, we face competing service from other domestic airlines, including major network airlines, low-cost carriers and ultra-low-cost carriers such as Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. Between cities that require a connection, where the major airlines compete via their respective hubs, competition is significant. In addition, we face competition on some of our connecting routes from airlines operating point-to-point service on such routes. We also compete with all-cargo and charter airlines and, particularly on shorter segments, ground and rail transportation.

On all of our routes, pricing decisions are affected, in large part, by the need to meet competition from other airlines. Price competition occurs on a market-by-market basis through price discounts, changes in pricing structures, fare matching, targeted promotions and loyalty program initiatives. Airlines typically use discounted fares and other promotions to stimulate traffic during normally weak travel periods, when they begin service to new cities, when they have excess capacity, to generate cash flow, to maximize revenue per available seat mile or to establish, increase or preserve market share. Most airlines will quickly match price reductions in a particular market, and we have often elected to match discounted or promotional fares initiated by other air carriers in certain markets in order to compete in those markets. In addition, we face pricing pressures from so-called ultra-low-cost carriers, such as Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines and Spirit

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Airlines, which compete in many of the markets in which we operate, with competition from these carriers increasing and new entrants regularly announcing their intention to start up new ultra-low-cost carriers.

In addition to price competition, airlines compete for market share by increasing the size of their route system and the number of markets they serve. The American Eagle regional carriers increase the number of markets we serve by flying to smaller markets and providing connections at our hubs. Many of our competitors also own or have agreements with regional airlines that provide similar services at their hubs and other locations. We also compete on the basis of scheduling (frequency and flight times), availability of nonstop flights, on-time performance, type of equipment, cabin configuration, amenities provided to passengers, loyalty programs, the automation of travel agent reservation systems, onboard products, health and safety, sustainability initiatives and other services.

International

In addition to our extensive domestic service, we provide international service to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. In 2022, we launched service to Doha, Qatar, allowing customers to connect to and from select destinations throughout the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia gateways. In providing international air transportation, we compete with other U.S. airlines, foreign investor-owned airlines and foreign state-owned or state-affiliated airlines. Competition has also been increasing from low-cost airlines executing international long-haul expansion strategies, a trend we also expect to continue, in particular with the planned introduction of long-range narrowbody aircraft in the coming years.

In order to increase our ability to compete in the market for international air transportation service, which is subject to extensive government regulation, U.S. and foreign carriers have entered into bilateral and multilateral marketing relationships, alliances, cooperation agreements and joint business agreements to exchange traffic among each other’s flights and route networks. See “Distribution and Marketing Agreements” above for further discussion.

Sustainability

Our purpose is to care for people on life’s journey. Conducting our business with a view towards operating a sustainable business that has the ability to serve our stakeholders over the long-term is an important part of this purpose. We have increased our focus over time on a number of elements that we view as important to build a more sustainable company, including those described below.

Climate

We recognize the challenge of climate change and have set ambitious goals to transition to operating a low-carbon airline over time.

Our aim is to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and we have set an intermediate target to drive progress toward that goal. In April 2022, we received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) that our 2035 GHG reduction target complies with the SBTi criteria.

The vast majority of our direct GHG emissions comes from the use of jet fuel in our operations. Our current strategy for reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is focused on running a more fuel-efficient operation, with more fuel-efficient aircraft, powered by low-carbon fuel. To do so, we are working to drive progress across several key levers, including:

•Continuing to replace older, less fuel-efficient aircraft with new, more efficient aircraft over time;

•Helping scale the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with the aim of transitioning to lower-carbon fuels. Currently, SAF is not available at the cost or scale necessary to meet our industry’s needs. We continue to enter into agreements to purchase SAF as part of our goal to replace 10% of our conventional jet fuel with SAF in 2030 and to encourage investment in SAF; and

•Evaluating and investing in innovations that may enable commercial aircraft to be powered by low- and no-carbon fuel sources over the long term. For example, in 2022 we made direct investments in ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen, companies working to develop hydrogen-electric propulsion technology and green hydrogen distribution, respectively. We are also an anchor partner of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, which aims to make investments to accelerate the development of new clean energy technologies.

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Achieving our ambitious goals will require significant action and investments by governments, manufacturers and other stakeholders. We are committed to engaging with our stakeholders to seek to advance these initiatives, and we have dedicated resources to advance our own progress. Our Board and Corporate Governance, Public Responsibility and Safety Committee receive updates on our climate strategy, progress and key risks regularly. And, in 2022, we formally assigned responsibility for oversight of our climate change strategy at the management level to our Chief Executive Officer.

Safety

The safety of our customers and team members is a top priority. Our approach to safety is guided by our Safety Management System (SMS), an organization-wide approach to identifying and managing risk. The SMS is comprised of four components: Safety Policy, Safety Assurance, Safety Risk Management and Safety Promotion. Our Safety Policy sets safety objectives while striving to comply with applicable regulatory requirements and laws in the countries where we operate and establishing standards for acceptable operational behaviors.

The Safety Assurance component of our SMS specifies how we use data and conduct quality assurance and internal oversight to validate the effectiveness of risk controls and the performance of the SMS. The Safety Risk Management (SRM) element of our SMS provides a decision-making process for identifying hazards and mitigating risk based on a thorough understanding of our systems and their operating environment. We employ SRM whenever there is a significant change to our operations, such as delivery of new aircraft. Lastly, the Safety Promotion component includes training and raising awareness among team members so that they can spot potential safety events.

Customers

We fly to more than 300 destinations in the United States and internationally, and we are committed to providing our customers with a world-class travel experience. We continued to rigorously measure and track customer satisfaction through passenger surveys in 2022, efforts that led to further improvements in our operations and the services we provide.

In 2022:

•We recorded a record Likelihood to Recommend score based on our internal customer data derived from approximately three million surveys completed by our customers in 2022; and

•We were recognized for the fifth consecutive year with the prestigious Five Star rating in The APEX Official Airline Ratings – Global Airline category. This rating is based on verified customer feedback on the overall travel experience.

Our People

The airline business is labor intensive, and our team members are critical to delivering for our customers. The operational complexity of our business requires a diverse team of personnel trained and experienced in a variety of technical areas such as flight operations, ground operations, safety and maintenance, customer service and airline scheduling and planning. We believe that if we create an environment where our team members feel supported, they will take care of our customers and thereby support the success of our business. To do this, we must continue to build a diverse and inclusive environment, helping all team members reach their full potential and providing them with the right resources and support.

Talent Development

We focus on providing our team members the tools, training and resources they need to do their best work. We maintain a suite of programs aimed at helping our people develop the skills and experience they need to succeed in their roles and build rewarding, long-term careers within our company. Additionally, we have partnered with leading online learning platforms to make professional development available on-demand to all of our team members.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Cultivating an environment that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a priority for us, and we seek to create a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and encouraged, where team members feel comfortable to be their authentic selves and where we are always learning from one another. Our goal is to make culture a competitive advantage so people will want to work with us, fly with us and invest in us. We are implementing a multiyear strategy focused on embedding DEI throughout our company by:

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•Hiring, engaging and retaining talent for growth;

•Delivering excellence in our operations to serve and expand our global markets;

•Striving to have our teams reflect the diversity of our global customer base; and

•Driving innovation to build competitive advantages.

In 2022, we received a perfect score on the 2022 Disability Equality Index and were designated a Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. We also launched the Selection, Onboarding, Advancement and Retention program, an expansion of our Executive Sponsorship Program, which creates a sustainable foundation for supporting diverse talent and underrepresented groups across our company.

Competitive Pay and Comprehensive Benefits

We seek to offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a wide variety of resources designed to support the physical, behavioral and financial well-being of our team members and their families, including medical coverage that is intended to be affordable and flexible along with healthcare navigation and support tools.

Our internal recognition programs give team members and customers the opportunity to show their appreciation for a job well done, including through our Nonstop Thanks program whereby team members can award each other points for exceptional service or as an expression of gratitude. Recognition points earned through the recognition program can be redeemed for items in an online catalog. In 2022, our team members were recognized by customers, peers and company leaders over two million times and hundreds of team members were nominated for the annual Chairman’s Award, the highest honor that we bestow upon our team members.

Our future success depends in large part on our ability to attract, develop and retain highly qualified management, technical and other personnel. Retaining and recruiting people with the appropriate skills has been particularly challenging as the economy in general, and the airline industry in particular, have continued to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. A rapid return of demand for air travel and the corresponding need for airlines to staff expanding operations resulted in a period of intense competition for the human resources necessary to operate our business successfully. Like many other airlines, we have experienced and continue to experience periodic shortages of frontline team members as a result. Certain of these personnel shortages, such as pilots, are systemic and could persist for some time. For more discussion, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – “The loss of key personnel upon whom we depend to operate our business or the inability to attract and develop additional qualified personnel could adversely affect our business.”

Labor Relations

In 2022, mainline and regional salaries, wages and benefits were our largest expense and represented 32% of our total operating expenses. As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately 129,700 active full-time equivalent employees, approximately 87% of whom were represented by various labor unions responsible for negotiating the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) governing their compensation and job duties, among other things.

Labor relations in the air transportation industry are regulated under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which vests in the National Mediation Board (NMB) certain functions with respect to disputes between airlines and labor unions relating to union representation and CBAs.

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The following table shows our domestic airline employee groups that are represented by unions:

Union	Class or Craft	Employees (1)	Contract Amendable Date
Mainline:
Allied Pilots Association (APA)	Pilots	13,450	2020
Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA)	Flight Attendants	23,200	2019
Airline Customer Service Employee Association – Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Teamsters (CWA-IBT)	Passenger Service	14,650	2020
Transport Workers Union and International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (TWU-IAM Association)	Mechanics and Related	11,850	2025
TWU-IAM Association	Fleet Service	18,700	2025
TWU-IAM Association	Stock Clerks	1,950	2025
TWU-IAM Association	Flight Simulator Engineers	140	2025
TWU-IAM Association	Maintenance Control Technicians	180	2025
TWU-IAM Association	Maintenance Training Instructors	100	2025
Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA)	Dispatchers	560	2025
Transport Workers Union (TWU)	Flight Crew Training Instructors	390	2025
Envoy:
Air Line Pilots Associations (ALPA)	Pilots	1,850	2029
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA)	Flight Attendants	1,800	2026
TWU	Ground School Instructors	10	2027
TWU	Mechanics and Related	1,150	2021
TWU	Stock Clerks	120	2021
TWU	Simulator Instructors	20	2026
TWU	Fleet Service	3,950	2026
TWU	Dispatchers	70	2025
Communications Workers of America (CWA)	Passenger Service	6,500	2026
Piedmont:
ALPA	Pilots	740	2029
AFA	Flight Attendants	310	2026
International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)	Mechanics and Related	400	2026
IBT	Stock Clerks	60	2026
CWA	Fleet and Passenger Service	6,300	2023
IBT	Dispatchers	30	2025
ALPA	Flight Crew Training Instructors	70	2029
PSA:
ALPA	Pilots	1,550	2028
AFA	Flight Attendants	1,200	2023
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM)	Mechanics and Related	620	2022
TWU	Dispatchers	50	2024
ALPA	Flight Crew Training Instructors	120	2028

(1)Represents approximate number of active employees as of December 31, 2022.

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CBAs covering our mainline pilots, flight attendants and passenger service are now amendable and negotiations involving these workgroups continue. Among our wholly-owned regional subsidiaries, the Envoy mechanics and related, Envoy stock clerks and PSA mechanics and related have agreements that are now amendable and are engaged in traditional RLA negotiations.

For more discussion, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – “Union disputes, employee strikes and other labor-related disruptions, or our inability to otherwise maintain labor costs at competitive levels and hire and retain a sufficient number of employees may adversely affect our operations and financial performance.”

Aircraft Fuel

Our operations and financial results are materially affected by the availability and price of aircraft fuel, which represents one of the largest single cost items in our business. Based on our 2023 forecasted mainline and regional fuel consumption, we estimate that a one cent per gallon increase in the price of aircraft fuel would increase our 2023 annual fuel expense by approximately $40 million.

The following table shows annual aircraft fuel consumption and costs, including taxes, for our mainline and regional operations for 2022 and 2021 (gallons and aircraft fuel expense in millions).

Year	Gallons	Average Price per Gallon	Aircraft Fuel Expense	Percent of Total Operating Expenses
2022	3,901	$3.54	$13,791	29%
2021	3,324	$2.04	$6,792	22%

As of December 31, 2022, we did not have any fuel hedging contracts outstanding to hedge our fuel consumption. Our current policy is not to enter into transactions to hedge our fuel consumption, although we review that policy from time to time based on market conditions and other factors. As such, and assuming we do not enter into any future transactions to hedge our fuel consumption, we will continue to be fully exposed to fluctuations in aircraft fuel prices.

Aircraft fuel prices have in the past, and may in the future, experience substantial volatility. We cannot predict the future availability, price volatility or cost of aircraft fuel. For more discussion, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – “Our business is very dependent on the price and availability of aircraft fuel. Continued periods of high volatility in fuel costs, increased fuel prices or significant disruptions in the supply of aircraft fuel could have a significant negative impact on consumer demand, our operating results and liquidity.”

Seasonality and Other Factors

Due to the greater demand for air travel during the summer months, revenues in the airline industry in the second and third quarters of the year tend to be greater than revenues in the first and fourth quarters of the year. General economic conditions, fears of terrorism or war, fare initiatives, fluctuations in fuel prices, labor actions, weather, natural disasters, outbreaks of disease and other factors could impact this seasonal pattern. Therefore, our quarterly results of operations are not necessarily indicative of operating results for the entire year, and historical operating results in a quarterly or annual period are not necessarily indicative of future operating results.

Domestic and Global Regulatory Landscape

General

Airlines are subject to extensive domestic and international regulatory requirements. Domestically, the DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exercise significant regulatory authority over air carriers.

The DOT, among other things, oversees and regulates domestic and international codeshare agreements, international route authorities, competition and consumer protection matters including accessibility, the display and sharing of ancillary fee information and refund practices. The Antitrust Division of the DOJ, along with the DOT in certain instances, have jurisdiction over airline antitrust matters.

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The FAA similarly exercises safety oversight and regulates most operational matters of our business, including how we operate and maintain our aircraft. FAA requirements cover, among other things, required technology and necessary onboard equipment; systems, procedures and training necessary to ensure the continuous airworthiness of our fleet of aircraft; safety measures and equipment; crew scheduling limitations and experience requirements; and many other technical aspects of airline operations. Additionally, our pilots and other employees are subject to rigorous certification standards, and our pilots and other crew members must adhere to flight time and rest requirements.

The FAA also controls the national airspace system, including operational rules and fees for air traffic control (ATC) services. The efficiency, reliability and capacity of the ATC network has a significant impact on our costs and on the timeliness of our operations.

The U.S. Postal Service has jurisdiction over certain aspects of the transportation of mail and related services.

Airport Access and Operations

Domestically, any U.S. airline authorized by the DOT is generally free to operate scheduled passenger service between any two points within the U.S. and its territories, with the exception of certain airports that require landing and take-off rights and authorizations (slots) and other facilities, and certain airports that impose geographic limitations on operations or curtail operations based on the time of day. Operations at three major domestic airports we serve (JFK and LGA in New York City, and DCA near Washington, D.C.) and many foreign airports we serve (including LHR) are regulated by governmental entities through allocations of slots or similar regulatory mechanisms that limit the rights of carriers to conduct operations at those airports. Each slot represents the authorization to land at or take off from the particular airport during a specified time period. In addition to slot restrictions, operations at DCA and LGA are also limited based on a so-called “perimeter rule” which generally limits the stage length of the flights that can be operated from those airports to 1,250 and 1,500 miles, respectively. Generally, our ability to retain slots is conditioned on the continued use of such slots, and in the absence of use, the slots are subject to forfeiture. In certain circumstances, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, regulators may issue slot waivers which temporarily suspend or amend slot usage requirements, and we have used slot waivers at times to reduce flying levels given limited demand for travel. We cannot guarantee that such waivers will be made available to us, or that upon expiration or cancellation of such waivers it will be economical for us to resume prior levels of flying to destinations where we have operated a reduced service. If we are forced to surrender slots, we may be unable to provide our desired level of service to or from certain destinations in the future. For more discussion, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – “If we are unable to obtain and maintain adequate facilities and infrastructure throughout our system and, at some airports, adequate slots, we may be unable to operate our existing flight schedule and to expand or change our route network in the future, which may have a material adverse impact on our operations.”

Our ability to provide service can also be impaired at airports, such as Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and LAX, where the airport gate and other facilities are currently inadequate to accommodate all of the service that we would like to provide, or airports such as Dallas Love Field Airport where we have no access to gates at all.

Existing law also permits domestic local airport authorities to implement procedures and impose restrictions designed to abate noise, provided such procedures and restrictions do not unreasonably interfere with interstate or foreign commerce or the national transportation system. In some instances, these restrictions have caused curtailments in service or increases in operating costs.

Airline Fares, Taxes and User Fees

Airlines are permitted to establish their own domestic fares without governmental regulation. The DOT maintains authority over certain international fares, rates and charges, but only applies this authority on a limited basis. In addition, international fares and rates are sometimes subject to the jurisdiction of the governments of the foreign countries which we serve.

Airlines are obligated to collect a federal excise tax, commonly referred to as the “ticket tax,” on domestic and international air transportation, and to collect other taxes and charge other fees, such as foreign taxes, security fees and passenger facility charges. Although these taxes and fees are not our operating expenses, they represent an additional cost to our customers. These taxes and fees are subject to increase from time to time.

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DOT Passenger Protection Rules

The DOT regulates airline interactions with passengers through the ticketing process, at the airport and onboard the aircraft. Among other things, these regulations govern how our fares are displayed online, required customer disclosures, access by disabled passengers, handling of long onboard flight delays and reporting of mishandled bags. In 2023, the DOT is expected to propose or implement a number of new disability regulations that will impact us, including rules for accessible lavatories on single-aisle aircraft, penalties for wheelchair loss or damage and prompt wheelchair assistance. The DOT is also expected to finalize rules requiring refunds for cancellations and significant delays and rules mandating the display of ancillary fees during the initial itinerary search.

International

International air transportation is subject to extensive government regulation, including aviation agreements between the U.S. and other countries or governmental authorities, such as the EU. Moreover, our alliances with international carriers may be subject to the jurisdiction and regulations of various foreign agencies. The U.S. government has negotiated “open skies” agreements with 131 trading partners, which allow unrestricted route authority access between the U.S. and the foreign markets.

In addition, foreign countries impose passenger protection rules, which are analogous to, and often meet or exceed the requirements of, the DOT passenger protection rules discussed above. In cases where these foreign requirements exceed the DOT rules, we may bear additional burdens and liabilities. Further, various foreign airport authorities impose noise and curfew restrictions at their local airports.

Security

Substantially all aspects of civil aviation security in the U.S. or affecting U.S. carriers are controlled or regulated by the federal government through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Requirements include flight deck security; carriage of federal air marshals at no charge; enhanced security screening of passengers, baggage, cargo, mail, employees and vendors; fingerprint-based background checks of all employees and vendor employees with access to secure areas of airports; and the provision of certain passenger data to the federal government and other international border security authorities, for security and immigration controls. Funding for the TSA is provided by a combination of air carrier fees, passenger fees and taxpayer funds. Customs and Border Protection, which, like the TSA, is part of the Department of Homeland Security, also promulgates requirements, performs services and collects fees that impact our provision of services. Additionally, we have at times found it necessary or desirable to make significant expenditures to comply with security-related requirements while seeking to reduce their impact on our customers, such as expenditures for automated security screening lines at airports. Our international service further requires us to comply with the civil aviation security regimes imposed at the foreign airports we serve.

Environmental Matters

Environmental Regulation

The airline industry is subject to various laws and government regulations concerning environmental matters in the U.S. and other countries. U.S. federal laws that have a particular impact on our operations include the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund Act). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies have been authorized to promulgate regulations that have an impact on our operations. In addition to these federal activities, various states have been delegated certain authorities under the aforementioned federal statutes. Many state and local governments have adopted environmental laws and regulations which are similar to or stricter than federal requirements.

Revised underground storage tank regulations issued by the EPA in 2015 have affected certain airport fuel hydrant systems, with modifications of such systems needed in order to comply with applicable portions of the revised regulations. In addition, related to the EPA and state regulations pertaining to storm water management, several U.S. airport authorities are actively engaged in efforts to limit discharges of deicing fluid into the environment, often by requiring airlines to participate in the building or reconfiguring of airport deicing facilities. Additionally, compliance with updated federal and state regulations governing fire extinguishing foams are expected to require modification to fire suppression systems that we operate, as well as those maintained by airports. We are evaluating the costs and potential impacts to our business of complying with these new regulations. On November 23, 2022, the EPA also published the final rule for particulate matter emission standards and test procedures for civil aircraft engines, which took effect on December 23, 2022.

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The environmental laws to which we are subject include those related to responsibility for potential soil and groundwater contamination. We are conducting investigation and remediation activities to address soil and groundwater conditions at several sites, including airports and maintenance bases. We presently anticipate that the ongoing costs of such activities will not have a material impact on our operations.

We employ an environmental management system that provides a systematic approach for compliance with environmental regulations and management of a broad range of environmental issues, including but not limited to air emissions, hazardous waste, underground tanks, and aircraft water quality.

Aircraft Emissions and Climate Change Requirements

American is subject to the requirements of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), an international, market-based emissions reduction program adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2016. CORSIA is intended to achieve carbon-neutral growth in the international aviation sector from 2021 through 2035 by requiring airlines to compensate for the growth in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, relative to a predetermined baseline determined by ICAO, of a significant majority of international flights through the purchase of carbon offsets or the use of low-carbon fuels.

Currently, we expect to be required to purchase carbon offset credits to comply with CORSIA’s first “implementation phase” (2024-2026). We do not expect to be required to purchase carbon offset credits beforehand, unless during 2023 the demand for international travel is stronger than expected and exceeds that of 2019.

Our future costs of CORSIA compliance are uncertain because of the difficulty in estimating the return of demand for international air travel in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty with respect to the future supply and price of carbon offset credits and lower-carbon aircraft fuels.

In January 2021, the EPA adopted GHG emission standards for new aircraft engines, which are aligned with the 2017 ICAO aircraft engine GHG emission standards. Like the ICAO standards, the final EPA standards for new aircraft engines would not apply retroactively to engines already on in-service aircraft. These final standards have been challenged by several states and environmental groups, and the Biden Administration has issued an executive order requiring a review of these final standards. On November 15, 2021, the EPA announced that it would not rewrite the existing aircraft engine GHG emissions standards but would seek more for ambitious new aircraft GHG emission standards within the ICAO process. The outcome of the legal challenge and whether there will be any development of new aircraft GHG emissions standards cannot be predicted at this time.

The EC’s ReFuelEU Aviation initiative (part of its “Fit for 55” program) included a proposal for the creation of a SAF blending mandate for aviation fuel suppliers set at 2% beginning in 2025 and rising to 63% by 2050, among other requirements. The European Parliament (which has proposed stricter targets in relation to SAF blending percentages for 2050) and the European Council have adopted initial negotiating positions with respect to the ReFuelEU Aviation initiative and are currently in negotiations in relation to the final text of the proposed regulation. Individual EU member states have been developing their own requirements including, for example, a 1% SAF mandate in France that came into force on January 1, 2022. Whether and in what form these regulations will be finalized and the potential effects on our business are uncertain at this time.

All such climate change-related regulatory activity and developments may adversely affect our business and financial results by requiring us to reduce our emissions before cost-effective emissions reduction technologies are available, for example, through requirements to make capital investments to purchase specific types of equipment or technologies, purchase carbon offset credits or otherwise incur additional costs related to our emissions. Such activity may also impact us indirectly by increasing our operating costs, including fuel costs.

For more information on our approach to ESG issues, see our 2021 ESG Report at our website www.aa.com under “Environmental, Social and Governance.” None of the information or contents of our 2021 ESG Report are incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Impact of Regulatory Requirements on Our Business

Regulatory requirements, including but not limited to those discussed above, affect operations and increase operating costs for the airline industry, including our airline subsidiaries, and future regulatory developments may continue to do the same. For additional information, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – “Evolving data security and privacy requirements (in particular, compliance with applicable federal, state and foreign laws relating to handling of personal information about individuals) could increase our costs, and any significant data security or privacy incident could disrupt our operations, harm our reputation, expose us to legal risks and otherwise materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition,” “If we are unable to obtain and maintain adequate facilities and infrastructure throughout our system and, at some airports, adequate slots, we may be unable to operate our existing flight schedule and to expand or change our route network in the future, which may have a material adverse impact on our operations,” “Our business is subject to extensive government regulation, which may result in increases in our costs, disruptions to our operations, limits on our operating flexibility, reductions in the demand for air travel, and competitive disadvantages,” “The airline industry is heavily taxed,” “We are subject to many forms of environmental and noise regulation and may incur substantial costs as a result,” and “We are subject to risks associated with climate change, including increased regulation of our CO2 emissions, changing consumer preferences and the potential increased impacts of severe weather events on our operations and infrastructure.”

Available Information

Use of Websites to Disclose Information

Our website is located at www.aa.com. We have made and expect in the future to make public disclosures to investors and the general public of information regarding AAG and its subsidiaries by means of the investor relations section of our website as well as through the use of our social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter. In order to receive notifications regarding new postings to our website, investors are encouraged to enroll on our website to receive automatic email alerts (see https://americanairlines.gcs-web.com/email-alerts), “follow” American (@AmericanAir) on Twitter and “like” American on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AmericanAirlines). None of the information or contents of our website or social media postings is incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Availability of SEC Reports

A copy of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports are available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

“2013 Credit Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of May 21, 2015, among American, AAG, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as administrative agent, and certain other parties thereto, as amended.

“2013 Credit Facilities” means the 2013 Revolving Facility and 2013 Term Loan Facility provided for by the 2013 Credit Agreement.

“2013 Plan” means the AAG 2013 Incentive Award Plan.

“2013 Revolving Facility” means the revolving credit facility provided for by the 2013 Credit Agreement.

“2013 Term Loan Facility” means the term loan facility provided for under the 2013 Credit Agreement.

“2014 Credit Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of April 20, 2015, among American, AAG, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Citibank N.A., as administrative agent, and certain other parties thereto, as amended.

“2014 Credit Facilities” means the 2014 Revolving Facility and the 2014 Term Loan Facility provided for by the 2014 Credit Agreement.

“2014 Revolving Facility” means the revolving credit facility provided for by the 2014 Credit Agreement.

“2014 Term Loan Facility” means the term loan facility provided for by the 2014 Credit Agreement.

“2020 JFK Bonds” means special facility revenue bonds issued on behalf of American by NYTDC in June 2020.

“2021 Form 10-K” means AAG’s and American’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

“2021 JFK Bonds” means special facility revenue bonds NYTDC issued in June 2021.

“2021-1 Aircraft” means the 26 aircraft financed or to be financed by American under the 2021-1 Aircraft EETCs.

“2021-1 Aircraft EETCs” means the two pass-through trusts created by American in November 2021 that have issued approximately $960 million aggregate face amount of Series 2021-1 Class A and Class B EETCs.

“2026 Notes” means the AAdvantage Issuers' 5.50% senior secured notes due 2026.

“2029 Notes” means the AAdvantage Issuers' 5.75% senior secured notes due 2029.

“3.75% Senior Notes” mean 3.75% senior notes due 2025 with an aggregate principal amount of $500 million.

“5.000% Senior Notes” means the 5.000% senior notes due in 2022 with an aggregate principal amount of $750 million.

“10.75% Senior Secured Notes” means, collectively, the LGA/DCA Notes and the IP Notes.

“10.75% Senior Secured Notes Closing Date” means September 25, 2020.

“10.75% Senior Secured Notes Collateral” means the IP Collateral and LGA/DCA Collateral.

“11.75% Senior Secured Notes” means the 11.75% senior secured notes due in 2025 with an aggregate principal amount of $2.5 billion.

“11.75% Senior Secured Notes Collateral” means the First Lien 11.75% Senior Secured Notes Collateral and the Second Lien 11.75% Senior Secured Notes Collateral.

“AAdvantage” means the AAdvantage® frequent flyer program.

“AAdvantage Agreements” means the AAdvantage program agreements provided as collateral under the AAdvantage Financing.

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“AAdvantage Collateral” means the AAdvantage Agreements (including all payments thereunder) and rights under an intercompany agreement and American’s rights to certain data and other intellectual property used in the AAdvantage program (subject to certain exceptions), certain rights under the AAdvantage program, certain deposit accounts that will receive cash under the AAdvantage Agreements, certain reserve accounts, the equity of each of Loyalty Issuer and the SPV Guarantors and substantially all other assets of Loyalty Issuer and the SPV Guarantors.

“AAdvantage Financing” means, collectively, the AAdvantage Notes and the AAdvantage Term Loan Facility.

“AAdvantage Financing Closing Date” means March 24, 2021.

“AAdvantage Guarantees” means the AAdvantage Note Guarantees, together with the full and unconditional guarantee of the AAdvantage Loans by the AAdvantage Guarantors.

“AAdvantage Guarantors” means the SPV Guarantors and AAG.

“AAdvantage Indenture” means the indenture, dated as of March 24, 2021, by and among the AAdvantage Issuers, the AAdvantage Guarantors and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and as collateral custodian.

“AAdvantage Issuers” means the Loyalty Issuer and American.

“AAdvantage Loans” means the $3.5 billion of term loans provided pursuant to the AAdvantage Term Loan Facility.

“AAdvantage Note Guarantees” means the full and unconditional guarantee of the AAdvantage Notes by the AAdvantage Guarantors.

“AAdvantage Notes” means, collectively, the 2026 Notes and the 2029 Notes.

“AAdvantage Payment Date” means, with respect to the payment of interest on the AAdvantage Notes and AAdvantage Loans, the 20th day of each January, April, July and October.

“AAdvantage Term Loan Facility” means the $3.5 billion term loan facility provided pursuant to the term loan credit and guaranty agreement, dated as of March 24, 2021, with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as collateral administrator, and the lenders party thereto.

“AAG”, “we”, “us”, “our” and similar terms means American Airlines Group Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

“AAL” means the trading symbol under which AAG common stock is listed and traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

“AFA” means Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

“Air Wisconsin” means Air Wisconsin Airlines LLC.

“ALPA” means Air Line Pilots Association.

“American” means American Airlines, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of AAG.

“American Eagle” means our regional carriers, including our wholly-owned regional carriers Envoy, PSA and Piedmont, as well as third-party regional carriers including Air Wisconsin, Mesa, Republic and SkyWest.

“AMR” or “AMR Corporation” means AMR Corporation and is used to reference AAG during the period of time prior to its emergence from Chapter 11 and the Merger.

“AOCI” means accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

“APA” means Allied Pilots Association.

“APFA” means Association of Professional Flight Attendants.

“April 2016 Credit Agreement” means the Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2016, among American, AAG, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, and certain other parties thereto, as amended.

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“April 2016 Credit Facilities” means the April 2016 Revolving Facility and April 2016 Spare Parts Term Loan Facility provided for by the 2016 Credit Agreement.

“April 2016 Revolving Facility” means the revolving credit facility provided for by the April 2016 Credit Agreement.

“April 2016 Spare Parts Term Loan Facility” means the term loan facility provided for by the April 2016 Credit Agreement.

“ARP” means the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

“ASM” means available seat mile and is a basic measure of production. One ASM represents one seat flown one mile.

“ASU” means Accounting Standards Update.

“ATC” means air traffic control.

“ATC system” means the U.S. National Airspace System.

“Aviation Act” means subtitle VII of Title 49 of the United States Code, as amended.

“Bankruptcy Court” means the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

“Base Indenture” means the indenture, dated as of June 25, 2020, between AAG and the Convertible Notes Trustee.

“BOS” means Boston Logan International Airport.

“Bylaws” means AAG’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended.

“CARES Act” means the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

“CASM” means total operating cost per available seat mile and is equal to total operating expenses divided by ASMs.

“CBAs” means collective bargaining agreements.

“CEO” means Chief Executive Officer.

“CFO” means Chief Financial Officer.

“China Southern Airlines” means China Southern Airlines Company Limited.

“CMA” means the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority.

“CO2” means carbon dioxide.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Company” means AAG and its consolidated subsidiaries.

“Convertible Notes” means AAG’s 6.50% convertible senior notes due 2025.

“Convertible Notes Indenture” means the Base Indenture and the Convertible Notes Supplemental Indenture.

“Convertible Notes Guarantee” means the full and unconditional guarantee of the Convertible Notes by American.

“Convertible Notes Supplemental Indenture” means the first supplemental indenture, dated as of June 25, 2020, among AAG, American and the Convertible Notes Trustee.

“Convertible Notes Trustee” means Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee with respect to the Convertible Notes.

“CORSIA” means the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.

“COVID-19” refers to a respiratory illness first detected in 2019 and the ensuing global pandemic that remains ongoing as of the date of this report.

“Credit Facilities” means, collectively, the 2013 Credit Facilities, 2014 Credit Facilities and April 2016 Credit Facilities.

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“CWA” means Communications Workers of America.

“CWA-IBT” means the Airline Employees Customer Service Association – Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

“DCA” means Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

“DCR” means disputed claims reserve, a reserve established by the Bankruptcy Court, pursuant to the Plan, to hold shares of AAG common stock for issuance to disputed claimholders as of the Effective Date or, alternatively, to former holders of AMR common stock or former holders of certain AMR convertible notes.

“DC Court” means the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia.

“December 2016 Credit Agreement” means the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December 15, 2016, among American, AAG, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Citibank N.A., as administrative agent, and certain other parties thereto, as amended.

“December 2016 Term Loan Facility” means the term loan facility provided for under the December 2016 Credit Agreement.

“DEI” means diversity, equity and inclusion.

“DOJ” means the United States Department of Justice.

“DOT” means the United States Department of Transportation.

“DOT Agreement” means the agreement reached between the DOT, American, and JetBlue in January 2021, following the termination of DOT’s review of the NEA.

“EC” means the European Commission.

“EETC” means enhanced equipment trust certificate.

“Effective Date” means December 9, 2013.

“Eighth Amendment” means the Eighth Amendment entered into in January 2020 to the 2014 Credit Agreement.

“Envoy” means Envoy Air Inc.

“EPA” means the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“EPS” means earnings (loss) per common share.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

“Ethics Standards” means AAG’s and American’s Standards of Business Conduct.

“EU” means European Union.

"EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement" means the trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and United Kingdom.

"EWR" means Newark Liberty International Airport.

“Exchange Act” means Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“FAA” means Federal Aviation Administration.

“First Lien 11.75% Senior Secured Notes Collateral” means certain assets, rights and properties utilized by American in providing its scheduled air carrier services to and from certain airports in the United States and certain airports in Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and Switzerland which are used to secure the 11.75% Senior Secured Notes on a first-lien basis.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S.

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“GDS” means global distribution system.

“GHG” means greenhouse gas.

“GOL” means GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.

“holdback” means an amount of cash held by our credit card processors in certain circumstances (including, with respect to certain agreements, our failure to maintain certain levels of liquidity).

“HoldCo2” means AAdvantage Holdings 2, Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated with limited liability and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of American and the direct parent of Loyalty Issuer.

“IAM” means International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers.

“IAM Pension Fund” means the IAM National Pension Fund.

“IBT” means International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

“ICAO” means International Civil Aviation Organization.

“IP Collateral” means certain intellectual property of American, including the “American Airlines” trademark and the “aa.com” domain name in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions, to which American has given a first lien security interest to secure the IP Notes.

“IP Licenses” means the series of intercompany license agreements pursuant to which an exclusive, irrevocable (subject to certain termination rights), perpetual, worldwide, royalty-bearing sublicense to use American’s rights to certain data and other intellectual property used in the AAdvantage program (subject to certain exceptions) which was granted indirectly by Loyalty Issuer to American.

“IP Notes” means American’s $1.0 billion in initial principal amount of 10.75% senior secured IP notes.

“IP Notes Indenture” means the indenture, dated as of September 25, 2020, by and among American, AAG and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and as collateral trustee, pursuant to which the IP Notes were issued.

“IRA” means the Inflation Reduction Act.

“JetBlue” means JetBlue Airways Corporation.

“JetSMART” means JetSmart Airlines SpA.

“JFK” means John F. Kennedy International Airport.

“LAWA” means the Los Angeles World Airports.

“LAX” means Los Angeles International Airport.

“LGA/DCA Collateral” means certain slots related to American’s operations at LGA and DCA and certain other assets that are used as (a) a first lien security interest to secure the LGA/DCA Notes and (b) a second lien security interest to secure the IP Notes.

“LGA/DCA Notes” means American’s $200 million in initial principal amount of 10.75% senior secured LGA/DCA notes.

“LGA/DCA Notes Indenture” means the indenture, dated as of September 25, 2020, by and among American, AAG and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and as collateral trustee, pursuant to which the LGA/DCA Notes were issued.

“LGA” means LaGuardia Airport.

“LGW” or “London Gatwick” means London Gatwick Airport.

“LHR” or “London Heathrow” means London Heathrow Airport.

“LIBOR” means the London interbank offered rate for deposits of U.S. dollars.

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“Loyalty Issuer” means AAdvantage Loyalty IP Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated with limited liability and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of American and co-issuer of the AAdvantage Notes.

“LTV” means loan to value ratio.

“Mainline” means the operations of American and excludes regional operations.

“Merger” means the merger of US Airways Group and AMR Corporation on December 9, 2013.

“Mesa” means Mesa Airlines, Inc.

"NEA" means Northeast Alliance arrangement between American and JetBlue.

“NMB” means National Mediation Board.

“NOLs” means net operating losses.

“NYTDC” means the New York Transportation Development Corporation.

“ORD” means Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

“OSHA” means Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

“OTAs” means online travel agents.

“PAFCA” means Professional Airline Flight Control Association.

“Passenger load factor” means the percentage of available seats that are filled with revenue passengers.

“PCAOB” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in the U.S.

“PEB” means Presidential Emergency Board.

“PFAS” means per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

“Piedmont” means Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

“PRASM” means passenger revenue per available seat mile and is equal to passenger revenues divided by ASMs.

“Proxy Statement” means American Airlines Group Inc.’s Proxy Statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of American Airlines Group Inc., certain sections of which are incorporated by reference into this report.

“PSA” means PSA Airlines, Inc.

“PSP Agreements” means the payroll support program agreements entered into by the Subsidiaries with Treasury under the CARES Act, PSP Extension Law and ARP.

“PSP Financial Assistance” means the portion of financial assistance received from Treasury pursuant to the PSP Agreements that is not allocated to the PSP Warrants or the PSP Promissory Notes.

“PSP Promissory Notes” means the promissory notes issued to Treasury in connection with the PSP Agreements.

“PSP Warrants” means the warrants issued or to be issued to Treasury pursuant to the PSP Agreements.

“PSP1” means the payroll support program established under the CARES Act.

“PSP1 Promissory Note” means the promissory note issued to Treasury in connection with PSP1.

“PSP1 Warrant Agreement” means the agreement entered into between AAG and Treasury in connection with the Payroll Support Program Agreement entered into by the Subsidiaries with Treasury on April 20, 2020, pursuant to which AAG issued PSP1 Warrants to Treasury to purchase up to an aggregate of approximately 14.0 million shares of AAG common stock.

“PSP1 Warrants” means the warrants issued or to be issued to Treasury pursuant to the PSP1 Warrant Agreement.

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“PSP2” means the payroll support program established under the PSP Extension Law.

“PSP2 Promissory Note” means the promissory note issued to Treasury in connection with PSP2.

“PSP2 Warrant Agreement” means the agreement entered into between AAG and Treasury in connection with the Payroll Support Program Extension Agreement entered into by the Subsidiaries with Treasury on January 15, 2021, pursuant to which AAG issued PSP2 Warrants to Treasury to purchase up to an aggregate of approximately 6.6 million shares of AAG common stock.

“PSP2 Warrants” means the warrants issued or to be issued to Treasury pursuant to the PSP2 Warrant Agreement.

“PSP3” means the payroll support program established under the ARP.

“PSP3 Promissory Note” means the promissory note issued to Treasury in connection with PSP3.

“PSP3 Warrant Agreement” means the agreement entered into between AAG and Treasury in connection with the Payroll Support Program Agreement entered into by the Subsidiaries with Treasury on April 23, 2021, pursuant to which AAG issued PSP3 Warrants to Treasury to purchase up to an aggregate of approximately 4.4 million shares of AAG common stock.

“PSP3 Warrants” means the warrants issued or to be issued to Treasury pursuant to the PSP3 Warrant Agreement.

“PSP Extension Law” means Subtitle A of Title IV of Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

“Rehabilitation Plan” means the rehabilitation plan adopted by the IAM Pension Fund on April 17, 2019.

“Republic” means Republic Airways Inc.

“Republic Holdings” means Republic Airways Holdings Inc., the parent company of Republic.

“RLA” means Railway Labor Act.

“ROU” means right-of-use.

“RPM” or “RPMs” means revenue passenger mile or miles and is a basic measure of sales volume. One RPM represents one passenger flown one mile.

“RSUs” means restricted stock units.

“S&P” means Standard and Poor’s Financial Services, LLC.

“SAF” means sustainable aviation fuel.

“SAIB” means special airworthiness information bulletin.

“SBTi” means Science Based Targets initiative.

“SEC” means Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Second Lien 11.75% Senior Secured Notes Collateral” means certain assets, rights and properties utilized by American in providing its scheduled air carrier services to and from certain airports in the United States and certain airports in the European Union and the United Kingdom which are used to secure the 11.75% Senior Secured Notes on a second-lien basis.

“Section 382” means Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“SkyWest” means SkyWest Airlines, Inc.

“slots” means landing and take-off rights and authorizations, as required by certain airports.

“SMS” means Safety Management System.

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“SOFR” means the Secured Overnight Financing Rate.

“SPV Guarantors” means AAdvantage Holdings 1, Ltd. a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated with limited liability and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of American, (ii) AAdvantage Holdings 2, Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated with limited liability and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of American and the direct parent of Loyalty Issuer, and (iii) certain Luxembourg limited liability companies and partnerships that are direct or indirect subsidiaries of Loyalty Issuer and which fully and unconditionally guarantee the AAdvantage Financing.

“SRM” means Safety Risk Management.

“Subsidiaries” means American, Envoy, PSA and Piedmont, each a wholly-owned subsidiary of AAG.

“Superfund Act” means Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.

“Tax Benefits Preservation Plan” means the tax benefits preservation plan adopted by the Board of Directors of AAG in December 2021 in order to preserve the Company’s ability to use its NOLs and certain other tax attributes to reduce potential future income tax obligations.

“TRASM” means the total revenue per available seat mile and is equal to the total revenues divided by total mainline and third-party regional carrier ASMs.

“Treasury” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

“Treasury Loan Agreement” means the Loan and Guarantee Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2020, between AAG, American and Treasury which provides for the Treasury Term Loan Facility.

“Treasury Loan Closing Date” means September 25, 2020.

“Treasury Loan Warrant Agreement” means the warrant agreement, dated as of September 25, 2020, between AAG and Treasury entered into in connection with the Treasury Loan Agreement, pursuant to which AAG issued Treasury Loan Warrants to Treasury to purchase shares of AAG common stock.

“Treasury Loan Warrants” means the warrants issued to Treasury pursuant to the Treasury Loan Warrant Agreement.

“Treasury Loan Warrant Shares” means the shares of AAG common stock which Treasury will have the right to purchase pursuant to Treasury Loan Warrants issued by AAG in accordance with the Treasury Loan Warrant Agreement.

“Treasury Term Loan Facility” means the term loan facility provided for under the Treasury Loan Agreement.

“TSA” means Transportation Security Administration.

“TWU” means Transport Workers Union.

“TWU-IAM Association” means Transport Workers Union and International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers.

“US Airways Group” means US Airways Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

“Vertical” means Vertical Aerospace Ltd.

“Yield” means a measure of airline revenue derived by dividing passenger revenue by RPMs.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Below are certain risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, or the trading price of our common stock or other securities. We caution the reader that these risk factors may not be exhaustive. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risks and uncertainties, nor can it assess the extent to which any of the risk factors below or any such new risks and uncertainties, or any combination thereof, may impact our business.

Risks Related to our Business and Industry

Downturns in economic conditions could adversely affect our business.

Due to the discretionary nature of business and leisure travel spending and the highly competitive nature of the airline industry, our revenues are heavily influenced by the condition of the U.S. economy and economies in other regions of the world. Unfavorable conditions in these broader economies have resulted, and may result in the future, in decreased passenger demand for air travel, changes in booking practices and related reactions by our competitors, all of which in turn have had, and may have in the future, a strong negative effect on our business. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated decline in economic activity and increase in unemployment levels had a severe and prolonged effect on the global economy generally and, in turn, resulted in a prolonged period of depressed demand for air travel. In addition, a rapid economic expansion following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant inflationary pressures and volatility in certain currencies, which have increased our costs for aircraft fuel, wages and benefits and other goods and services we require to operate our business, as well as increasing the interest expense on our variable-rate indebtedness.

We will need to obtain sufficient financing or other capital to operate successfully.

Our business plan contemplates continued significant investments related to our fleet, improving the experience of our customers and updating our facilities. Significant capital resources will be required to execute this plan. We estimate that, based on our commitments as of December 31, 2022, our planned aggregate expenditures for aircraft purchase commitments and certain engines on a consolidated basis for calendar years 2023 through 2027 would be approximately $12.3 billion. We may also require financing to refinance maturing obligations and to provide liquidity to fund other corporate requirements. Accordingly, we will need substantial liquidity, financing or other capital resources to finance such aircraft and engines and meet such other liquidity needs. If needed, it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all, due to, among other factors: our substantial level of existing indebtedness, particularly following the additional liquidity transactions completed in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; our non-investment grade credit rating; volatile or otherwise unfavorable market conditions; and the availability of assets to use as collateral for loans or other indebtedness, which has been reduced significantly as a result of certain financing transactions we have undertaken since the beginning of 2020 and may be further reduced. If we are unable to arrange any such required financing at customary advance rates and on terms and conditions acceptable to us, we may need to use cash from operations or cash on hand to purchase aircraft and engines or fund our other corporate requirements, or may seek to negotiate deferrals for such aircraft and engines with the applicable manufacturers or otherwise defer corporate obligations. Depending on numerous factors applicable at the time we seek capital, many of which are out of our control, such as the state of the domestic and global economies, the capital and credit markets’ view of our prospects and the airline industry in general, and the general availability of debt and equity capital, the financing or other capital resources that we will need may not be available to us, or may be available only on onerous terms and conditions. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining financing or other needed sources of capital to operate successfully or to fund our committed expenditures. An inability to obtain necessary financing on acceptable terms would limit our ability to execute necessary capital projects and would have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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Our high level of debt and other obligations may limit our ability to fund general corporate requirements and obtain additional financing, may limit our flexibility in responding to competitive developments and may cause our business to be vulnerable to adverse economic and industry conditions.

We have significant amounts of indebtedness and other financial obligations, including pension obligations, obligations to make future payments on flight equipment and property leases related to airport and other facilities, and substantial non-cancelable obligations under aircraft and related spare engine purchase agreements. Moreover, currently a very significant portion of our assets are pledged to secure our indebtedness. Our substantial indebtedness and other obligations, which are generally greater than the indebtedness and other obligations of our competitors, could have important consequences. For example, they may:

•make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness;

•limit our ability to obtain additional funding for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, investments and general corporate purposes, and adversely affect the terms on which such funding can be obtained;

•require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our liquidity or cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness and other obligations, thereby reducing the funds available for other purposes;

•make us more vulnerable to economic downturns, industry conditions and catastrophic external events, particularly relative to competitors with lower relative levels of financial leverage;

•significantly constrain our ability to respond, or respond quickly, to unexpected disruptions in our own operations, the U.S. or global economies, or the businesses in which we operate, or to take advantage of opportunities that would improve our business, operations, or competitive position versus other airlines;

•limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures and reduce our flexibility in responding to changing business and economic conditions;

•bear interest at floating rates, subjecting us to volatility in interest expenses as interest rates fluctuate;

•contain covenants requiring us to maintain an aggregate of at least $2.0 billion of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and amounts available to be drawn under revolving credit facilities and collateral coverage ratios and peak debt service coverage ratios; and

•contain restrictive covenants that could, among other things:

◦limit our ability to merge, consolidate, sell assets, incur additional indebtedness, issue preferred stock, make investments and pay dividends; and

◦if breached, result in an event of default under our indebtedness.

In addition, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic we have been required to obtain a significant amount of additional financing from a variety of sources and we cannot guarantee that we will not need to obtain additional financing in the future. Such financing may include the issuance of additional unsecured or secured debt securities, equity securities and equity-linked securities as well as additional bilateral and syndicated secured and/or unsecured credit facilities, among other items. There can be no assurance as to the timing of any such financing transactions, which may be in the near term, or that we will be able to obtain such additional financing on favorable terms, or at all. Any such actions may be material in nature, could result in the incurrence and issuance of significant additional indebtedness or equity and could impose significant covenants and restrictions to which we are not currently subject. In particular, in connection with the financial assistance we have received through the payroll support program established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (PSP1), the payroll support program established under the Subtitle A of Title IV of Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (PSP Extension Law) (PSP2) and the payroll support program established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (PSP3), we are required to comply with the relevant provisions of the CARES Act, the PSP Extension Law and the ARP, respectively, including the requirement that funds provided pursuant to PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 be used exclusively for the continuation of payment of eligible employee wages, salaries and benefits; and restrictions on the payment of certain executive compensation until April 1, 2023. Additionally, under PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3, we and certain of our subsidiaries are subject to substantial and continuing reporting obligations. The substance and duration of these restrictions may materially affect our operations, and we may not be successful in managing these impacts. Moreover, as a result of the financing activities we undertook in response to

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the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of financings with respect to which such covenants and provisions apply has increased, thereby subjecting us to more substantial risk of cross-default and cross-acceleration in the event of breach, and additional covenants and provisions could become binding on us as we continue to seek additional liquidity.

The obligations discussed above, including those imposed as a result of the CARES Act, the PSP Extension Law, the ARP and any additional financings we may be required to undertake, could also impact our ability to obtain additional financing, if needed, and our flexibility in the conduct of our business, and could materially adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

Further, a substantial amount of our long-term indebtedness bears interest at fluctuating interest rates, primarily based on the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) for deposits of U.S. dollars. LIBOR tends to fluctuate based on general short-term interest rates, rates set by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks, the supply of and demand for credit in the London interbank market and general economic conditions. We have not hedged our interest rate exposure with respect to our floating rate debt. Accordingly, our interest expense for any particular period will fluctuate based on LIBOR and other variable interest rates. In 2022, in response to rising inflation which coincided with a rapid rebound of economic activity as governments lifted restrictions and economies reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic, central banks around the world—including the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England—commenced a cycle of raising interest rates, which has consequently increased the interest we pay on our floating-rate indebtedness. To the extent the interest rates applicable to our floating rate debt increase, our interest expense will increase, in which event we may have difficulties making interest payments and funding our other fixed costs, and our available cash flow for general corporate requirements may be adversely affected.

On July 27, 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (the authority that regulates LIBOR) announced that it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The discontinuation date for submission and publication of rates for certain tenors of USD LIBOR (1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month) was subsequently extended by the ICE Benchmark Administration (the administrator of LIBOR) until June 30, 2023. It is not possible to predict what rate or rates may become the predominant alternative to LIBOR, or what effect these changes in views or alternatives may have on financial markets for LIBOR-linked financial instruments. While the U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, has chosen the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), and specifically Term SOFR, as the recommended risk-free reference rate for the U.S. (calculated based on repurchase agreements backed by treasury securities), we cannot currently predict the extent to which this index will gain widespread acceptance as a replacement for LIBOR. It is not possible to predict the effect of these changes, other reforms or the establishment of alternative reference rates in the United Kingdom, the United States or elsewhere. See also the discussion of interest rate risk in Part II, Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk – “Interest.”

As of December 31, 2022, we had $9.2 billion of borrowings with interest rates linked to LIBOR. We have commenced the process of amending our LIBOR-based financing agreements to transition them to successor reference rates in anticipation of LIBOR’s discontinuation, but we may not be able to reach agreements with all affected lenders, or to do so on favorable terms. Additionally, the replacement of LIBOR with a comparable or successor rate could cause the amount of interest payable on our long-term debt to be different or higher than expected.

We have significant pension and other postretirement benefit funding obligations, which may adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

Our pension funding obligations are significant. The amount of our pension funding obligations will depend on the performance of investments held in trust by the pension plans, interest rates for determining liabilities and actuarial experience. We also have significant obligations for retiree medical and other postretirement benefits.

Additionally, we participate in the IAM National Pension Fund (the IAM Pension Fund). The funding status of the IAM Pension Fund is subject to the risk that other employers may not meet their obligations, which under certain circumstances could cause our obligations to increase. On March 29, 2019, the actuary for the IAM Pension Fund certified that the fund was in “endangered” status despite reporting a funded status of over 80%. Additionally, the IAM Pension Fund’s Board voluntarily elected to enter into “critical” status on April 17, 2019. Upon entry into critical status, the IAM Pension Fund was required by law to adopt a rehabilitation plan aimed at restoring the financial health of the pension plan and did so on April 17, 2019 (the Rehabilitation Plan). Under the Rehabilitation Plan, American was subject to an immaterial contribution surcharge, which ceased to apply June 14, 2019 upon American’s mandatory adoption of a contribution schedule under the Rehabilitation Plan. The contribution schedule requires 2.5% annual increases to its contribution rate. This contribution schedule will remain in effect through the earlier of December 31, 2031 or the date the IAM Pension Fund emerges from critical status. Furthermore, if we were to withdraw from the IAM Pension Fund, if the

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IAM Pension fund were to terminate, or if the IAM Pension Fund were to undergo a mass withdrawal, we could be subject to liability as imposed by law.

If our financial condition worsens, provisions in our credit card processing and other commercial agreements may adversely affect our liquidity.

We have agreements with companies that process customer credit card transactions for the sale of air travel and other services. These agreements allow these credit card processing companies, under certain conditions (including, with respect to certain agreements, our failure to maintain certain levels of liquidity), to hold an amount of our cash (referred to as a holdback) equal to some or all of the advance ticket sales that have been processed by that credit card processor, but for which we have not yet provided the air transportation. Additionally, such credit card processing companies may require cash or other collateral reserves to be established. These credit card processing companies are not currently entitled to maintain any holdbacks pursuant to these requirements. These holdback requirements can be implemented at the discretion of the credit card processing companies upon the occurrence of specific events, including material adverse changes in our financial condition or the triggering of a liquidity covenant. The imposition of holdback requirements, up to and including 100% of relevant advanced ticket sales, would materially reduce our liquidity. Likewise, other of our commercial agreements contain provisions that allow other counterparties to impose less-favorable terms, including the acceleration of amounts due, in the event of material adverse changes in our financial condition. For example, we maintain certain letters of credit, insurance- and surety-related agreements under which counterparties may require collateral, including cash collateral.

The loss of key personnel upon whom we depend to operate our business or the inability to attract and develop additional qualified personnel could adversely affect our business.

We believe that our future success will depend in large part on our ability to attract, develop and retain highly qualified management, technical and other personnel. Retaining and recruiting people with the appropriate skills is particularly challenging as the economy in general, and the airline industry in particular, continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in competition for the human resources necessary to operate our business successfully. We may not be successful in attracting, developing or retaining key personnel or other highly qualified personnel. Among other things, the CARES Act, the PSP Extension Law and the ARP impose significant restrictions on executive compensation, which will remain in place until April 1, 2023. Such restrictions, over time, will likely result in lower executive compensation in the airline industry than is prevailing in other industries, creating increasing retention challenges in the case of executives presented with alternative, non-airline opportunities. In addition, competition for skilled personnel has intensified and may continue to intensify if overall industry capacity continues to increase and/or we were to incur attrition at levels higher than we have historically. Any inability to attract, develop and retain significant numbers of qualified management and other personnel would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our business has been and will continue to be affected by many changing economic and other conditions beyond our control, including global events that affect travel behavior, and our results of operations could be volatile and fluctuate due to seasonality.

Our business, results of operations and financial condition have been and will continue to be affected by many changing economic and other conditions beyond our control, including, among others:

•actual or potential changes in international, national, regional and local economic, business and financial conditions, including recession, inflation and higher interest rates;

•the occurrence of wars, terrorist attacks and political instability;

•changes in consumer preferences, perceptions, spending patterns and demographic trends;

•changes in the competitive environment due to industry consolidation, changes in airline alliance affiliations and other factors;

•actual or potential disruptions to the U.S. National Airspace System (the ATC system);

•increases in costs of safety, security and environmental measures;

•outbreaks of diseases that affect travel behavior, such as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

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•weather and natural disasters, including increases in frequency, severity or duration of such disasters, and related costs caused by more severe weather due to climate change.

The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the measures governments and private organizations worldwide implemented in an attempt to contain its spread, resulted in significant volatility in demand for air travel, which adversely affected our business, operations and financial condition to an unprecedented extent and for a prolonged period. Measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic—such as travel restrictions, including testing regimes, “stay at home” and quarantine orders, limitations on public gatherings, cancellation of public events and many others—initially resulted in a precipitous decline in demand for both domestic and international business and leisure travel. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes in business practices which may persist. For example, businesses and other travelers may continue to forego air travel in favor of remote or flexible working policies and communication alternatives such as videoconferencing. In addition, businesses may seek to reduce travel costs by requiring the purchase of less expensive tickets, thereby potentially impacting our average revenue per available seat mile. In response to this material deterioration in demand, we took a number of aggressive actions to ameliorate the impacts to our business, operations and financial condition. While cases have declined globally and many governments have loosened or lifted COVID-related travel restrictions, the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic—including the emergence and spread of any new variants—and its after effects remain uncertain, and there can be no assurance that any mitigating actions we take in response will be sufficient to avert a deterioration in our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of another contagious disease—such as has occurred in the past with the Ebola virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, H1N1 influenza virus, avian flu, Zika virus or any other similar illness—if it were to become associated with air travel or persist for an extended period, could materially affect the airline industry and us by reducing revenues and adversely impacting our operations and passengers’ travel behavior. As a result of these or other conditions beyond our control, our results of operations could be volatile and subject to rapid and unexpected change. In addition, due to generally weaker demand for air travel during the winter, our revenues in the first and fourth quarters of the year could be weaker than revenues in the second and third quarters of the year.

Union disputes, employee strikes and other labor-related disruptions, or our inability to otherwise maintain labor costs at competitive levels and hire and retain a sufficient number of employees may adversely affect our operations and financial performance.

Relations between air carriers and labor unions in the U.S. are governed by the RLA. Under the RLA, CBAs generally contain “amendable dates” rather than expiration dates, and the RLA requires that a carrier maintain the existing terms and conditions of employment following the amendable date through a multi-stage and usually lengthy series of bargaining processes overseen by the NMB. As of December 31, 2022, approximately 87% of our employees were represented for collective bargaining purposes by labor unions, and 48% were covered by CBAs that are currently amendable or that will become amendable within one year. For the dates that the CBAs with our major work groups become amendable under the RLA, see Part I, Item 1. Business – “Our People—Labor Relations.”

In the case of a CBA that is amendable under the RLA, if no agreement is reached during direct negotiations between the parties, either party may request that the NMB appoint a federal mediator. The RLA prescribes no timetable for the direct negotiation and mediation processes, and it is not unusual for those processes to last for many months or even several years. If no agreement is reached in mediation, the NMB in its discretion may declare that an impasse exists and proffer binding arbitration to the parties. Either party may decline to submit to arbitration, and if arbitration is rejected by either party, a 30-day “cooling off” period commences. During or after that period, a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) may be established, which examines the parties’ positions and recommends a solution. The PEB process lasts for 30 days and is followed by another 30-day “cooling off” period. At the end of this “cooling off” period, unless an agreement is reached or action is taken by Congress, the labor organization may exercise “self-help,” such as a strike, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

None of the unions representing our employees presently may lawfully engage in concerted slowdowns or refusals to work, such as strikes, sick-outs or other similar activity, against us. Nonetheless, there is a risk that employees, either with or without union involvement, could engage in one or more concerted refusals to work that could individually or collectively harm the operation of our airline and impair our financial performance. Additionally, some of our unions have brought and may continue to bring grievances to binding arbitration, including those related to wages. If successful, there is a risk these arbitral avenues could result in material additional costs that we did not anticipate. See also Part I, Item 1. Business – “Our People—Labor Relations.”

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Currently, we believe our labor costs are generally competitive relative to the other large network carriers. However, personnel shortages, in particular for pilots, and general wage inflation stand to impact our labor costs moving forward. Certain of our competitors have recently concluded agreements with their pilots’ unions which include significant increases in pay and benefits. We are currently in negotiations for several important new labor agreements, including with our mainline pilots, and we anticipate that any new contracts we agree with our labor groups will likewise include material increases in salaries and other benefits, which will significantly increase our labor expense.

If we encounter problems with any of our third-party regional operators or third-party service providers, our operations could be adversely affected by a resulting decline in revenue or negative public perception about our services.

A significant portion of our regional operations are conducted by third-party operators on our behalf, substantially all of which are provided for under capacity purchase agreements. Due to our reliance on third parties to provide these essential services, we are subject to the risk of disruptions to their operations, which has in the past and may in the future result from many of the same risk factors disclosed in this report, such as the impact of adverse economic conditions, the inability of third parties to hire or retain skilled personnel, including in particular pilots and mechanics, and other risk factors, such as an out-of-court or bankruptcy restructuring of any of our regional operators. Several of these third-party regional operators provide significant regional capacity that we would be unable to replace in a short period of time should that operator fail to perform its obligations to us. Disruptions to capital markets, shortages of pilots, mechanics and other skilled personnel and adverse economic conditions in general have subjected certain of these third-party regional operators to significant financial pressures, which have in the past and may in the future lead to bankruptcies among these operators. In particular, the severe decline in demand for air travel resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and related governmental restrictions on travel materially impacted demand for services provided by our regional carriers and, as a result, we temporarily significantly reduced our regional capacity. Further, as airlines attempt to restore capacity in line with increased demand for air travel following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, these third-party operators have experienced difficulties in recruiting and retaining sufficient personnel to operate significantly increased schedules, and have in some instances been required to offer significant increases in pay and other benefits to recruit and retain pilots and other personnel. Ongoing volatility in travel demand has the potential to continue to adversely affect our regional operators, some of whom may experience significant financial stress, declare bankruptcy or otherwise cease to operate. We may also experience disruption to our regional operations or incur financial damages if we terminate the capacity purchase agreement with one or more of our current operators or transition the services to another provider. Any significant disruption to our regional operations would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, our reliance upon others to provide essential services on behalf of our operations may result in our relative inability to control the efficiency and timeliness of contract services. We have entered into agreements with contractors to provide various facilities and services required for our operations, including distribution and sale of airline seat inventory, reservations, provision of information technology and services, regional operations, aircraft maintenance, fueling, catering, ground services and facilities and baggage handling. Similar agreements may be entered into in any new markets we decide to serve. These agreements are generally subject to termination after notice by the third-party service provider. We are also at risk should one of these service providers cease operations, and there is no guarantee that we could replace these providers on a timely basis with comparably priced providers, or at all. These third parties are also facing challenges retaining and recruiting people with the appropriate skills to meet our requirements as the economy in general, and the airline industry in particular, continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused significant disruption in global supply chains and staffing shortages, which have affected and may continue to affect the availability and timely delivery and fulfillment of many goods, including certain of those that we purchase directly or which are required by third parties to perform contracted services for us. We rely on the operation of complex supply chains and a large number of third parties for the procurement and fulfillment of parts, components, consumable or disposable goods and other products and services essential to our business. Following a faster than expected return of demand for air travel as COVID-19 cases declined worldwide and governments lifted travel restrictions, suppliers and many of the airports we serve experienced acute shortages of personnel, resulting in increased delays, cancellations and, in certain cases, restrictions on passenger numbers or the number of flights to or from certain airports. We cannot guarantee that, as a result of ongoing or future supply chain disruptions or staffing shortages, we, our third-party partners, or the airports we serve will be able to timely source all of the products and services we require in the course of our business, or that we will be successful in procuring suitable alternatives. Any material problems with the adequacy, efficiency and timeliness of contract services, resulting from financial hardships, personnel shortages or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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Any damage to our reputation or brand image could adversely affect our business or financial results.

Maintaining a good reputation globally is critical to our business. Our reputation or brand image could be adversely impacted by, among other things, any failure to maintain high ethical, social and environmental sustainability practices for all of our operations and activities, our impact on the environment, public pressure from investors or policy groups to change our policies, such as movements to institute a “living wage,” customer perceptions of our advertising campaigns, sponsorship arrangements or marketing programs, customer perceptions of our use of social media, or customer perceptions of statements made by us, our employees and executives, agents or other third parties. In addition, we operate in a highly visible industry that has significant exposure to social media. Negative publicity, including as a result of misconduct by our customers, vendors or employees, can spread rapidly through social media. Should we not respond in a timely and appropriate manner to address negative publicity, our brand and reputation may be significantly harmed. Damage to our reputation or brand image or loss of customer confidence in our services could adversely affect our business and financial results, as well as require additional resources to rebuild our reputation.

Moreover, an outbreak and spread of an infectious disease could adversely impact consumer perceptions of the health and safety of travel, and in particular airline travel, such as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Actual or perceived risk of infection on our flights could have a material adverse effect on the public's perception of us and may harm our reputation and business. We have in the past, and may in the future be required to take extensive measures to reassure our team members and the traveling public of the safety of air travel, and we could incur significant costs implementing safety, hygiene-related or other actions to limit the actual or perceived threat of infection among our employees and passengers. However, we cannot assure that any actions we might take in response to an infectious disease outbreak will be sufficient to restore the confidence of consumers in the safety of air travel. In addition, as a result of mask mandates and other mitigating measures that airports and carriers were required by law to implement to limit the spread of COVID-19, we experienced an increase in the incidence of aggressive customer behavior and physical confrontation on our flights, certain of which resulted in injuries to our personnel. If our employees feel unsafe or believe that we are not doing enough to prevent and prosecute these incidents, we could experience higher rates of employee absence and we may suffer reputational harm which could make it more difficult to attract and retain employees, and which could in turn negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are at risk of losses and adverse publicity stemming from any public incident involving our company, our people or our brand, including any accident or other public incident involving our personnel or aircraft, or the personnel or aircraft of our regional, codeshare or joint business operators.

We are at risk of adverse publicity stemming from any public incident involving our company, our people or our brand, particularly given the ease with which individuals can now capture and rapidly disseminate information via social media. Such an incident could involve the actual or alleged behavior of any of our employees, contractors or passengers. Further, if our personnel, one of our aircraft, a type of aircraft in our fleet, or personnel of, or an aircraft that is operated under our brand by, one of our regional operators or an airline with which we have a marketing alliance, joint business or codeshare relationship, were to be involved in a public incident, accident, catastrophe or regulatory enforcement action, we could be exposed to significant reputational harm and potential legal liability. The insurance we carry may be inapplicable or inadequate to cover any such incident, accident, catastrophe or action. In the event that our insurance is inapplicable or inadequate, we may be forced to bear substantial losses from an incident or accident. In addition, any such incident, accident, catastrophe or action involving our personnel, one of our aircraft (or personnel and aircraft of our regional operators and our codeshare partners), or a type of aircraft in our fleet could create an adverse public perception, which could harm our reputation, result in air travelers being reluctant to fly on our aircraft or those of our regional operators or codeshare partners, and adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Changes to our business model that are designed to increase revenues may not be successful and may cause operational difficulties or decreased demand.

We have in the past instituted, and intend to institute in the future, changes to our business model designed to increase revenues and offset costs. These measures include further segmentation of the classes of service we offer, such as Premium Economy service and Basic Economy service, enhancements to our AAdvantage loyalty program, charging separately for services that had previously been included within the price of a ticket, changes to our practices and contracts with providers of distribution systems to provide additional content flexibility, changing (whether it be increasing, decreasing or eliminating) other pre-existing fees, reconfiguration of our aircraft cabins, and efforts to optimize our network including by focusing growth on a limited number of large hubs and entering into agreements with other airlines. For example, in 2020, we eliminated change fees for most domestic and international tickets, which has reduced our change fee revenue, a trend which is expected to continue assuming this policy remains in place. We may introduce additional

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initiatives in the future; however, as time goes on, we expect that it will be more difficult to identify and implement additional initiatives. We cannot assure that these measures or any future initiatives will be successful in increasing our revenues or offsetting our costs. Additionally, the implementation of these initiatives may create logistical challenges that could harm the operational performance of our airline or result in decreased demand. Also, our implementation of any new or increased fees might result in adverse brand perceptions, reputational harm or regulatory scrutiny, and could reduce the demand for air travel on our airline or across the industry in general, particularly if weakened economic conditions make our customers more sensitive to increased travel costs or provide a significant competitive advantage to other carriers that determine not to institute similar charges.

Our intellectual property rights, particularly our branding rights, are valuable, and any inability to protect them may adversely affect our business and financial results.

We consider our intellectual property rights, particularly our branding rights such as our trademarks applicable to our airline and AAdvantage loyalty program, to be a significant and valuable aspect of our business. We protect our intellectual property rights through a combination of trademark, copyright and other forms of legal protection, contractual agreements and policing of third-party misuses of our intellectual property. Our failure to obtain or adequately protect our intellectual property or any change in law that lessens or removes the current legal protections of our intellectual property may diminish our competitiveness and adversely affect our business and financial results. Any litigation or disputes regarding intellectual property may be costly and time-consuming and may divert the attention of our management and key personnel from our business operations, either of which may adversely affect our business and financial results.

In addition, we have used certain of our branding and AAdvantage loyalty program intellectual property as collateral for various financings (including the AAdvantage Financing), which contain covenants that impose restrictions on the use of such intellectual property and, in the case of the AAdvantage Financing, on certain amendments or changes to our AAdvantage loyalty program. These covenants may have an adverse effect on our ability to use such intellectual property.

We may be a party to litigation in the normal course of business or otherwise, which could affect our financial position and liquidity.

From time to time, we are a party to or otherwise involved in legal proceedings, claims and government inspections or investigations and other legal matters, both inside and outside the United States, arising in the ordinary course of our business or otherwise. We are currently involved in various legal proceedings and claims that have not yet been fully resolved, and additional claims may arise in the future. Legal proceedings can be complex and take many months, or even years, to reach resolution, with the final outcome depending on a number of variables, some of which are not within our control. Litigation is subject to significant uncertainty and may be expensive, time-consuming, and disruptive to our operations. Although we will vigorously defend ourselves in such legal proceedings, their ultimate resolution and potential financial and other impacts on us are uncertain. For these and other reasons, we may choose to settle legal proceedings and claims, regardless of their actual merit. If a legal proceeding is resolved against us, it could result in significant compensatory damages, and in certain circumstances punitive or trebled damages, disgorgement of revenue or profits, remedial corporate measures or injunctive relief imposed on us. If our existing insurance does not cover the amount or types of damages awarded, or if other resolution or actions taken as a result of the legal proceeding were to restrain our ability to operate or market our services, our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In addition, legal proceedings, and any adverse resolution thereof, can result in adverse publicity and damage to our reputation, which could adversely impact our business. Additional information regarding certain legal matters in which we are involved can be found in Note 11(e) to AAG’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8A and Note 10(e) to American’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8B.

Our ability to utilize our NOLs and other carryforwards may be limited.

Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), a corporation is generally allowed a deduction for net operating losses (NOLs) carried over from prior taxable years. As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $16.2 billion of gross federal NOLs and $4.3 billion of other carryforwards available to reduce future federal taxable income, of which $5.9 billion will expire beginning in 2024 if unused and $14.6 billion can be carried forward indefinitely. We also had approximately $6.0 billion of NOL carryforwards to reduce future state taxable income at December 31, 2022, which will expire in taxable years 2022 through 2042 if unused. Our NOL carryforwards are subject to adjustment on audit by the Internal Revenue Service and the respective state taxing authorities. Additionally, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic factors, certain of the NOL carryforwards may expire before we can generate sufficient taxable income to use them.

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Our ability to use our NOLs and other carryforwards depends on the amount of taxable income generated in future periods. There can be no assurance that an additional valuation allowance on our net deferred tax assets will not be required should our financial performance be negatively impacted in the future. Such valuation allowance could be material.

A corporation’s ability to deduct its federal NOL carryforwards and to utilize certain other available tax attributes can be substantially constrained under the general annual limitation rules of Section 382 of the Code (Section 382) if it undergoes an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 (generally where cumulative stock ownership changes among material stockholders exceed 50% during a rolling three-year period). In 2013, we experienced an ownership change in connection with our emergence from bankruptcy and US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways Group) experienced an ownership change in connection with the merger of US Airways Group and AMR Corporation (the Merger). The general limitation rules for a debtor in a bankruptcy case are liberalized where the ownership change occurs upon emergence from bankruptcy. We elected to be covered by certain special rules for federal income tax purposes that permitted approximately $9.0 billion (with $4.4 billion of unlimited NOLs still remaining at December 31, 2022) of our federal NOL carryforwards to be utilized without regard to the annual limitation generally imposed by Section 382. If the special rules are determined not to apply, our ability to utilize such federal NOL carryforwards may be subject to limitation. In addition, under the loan program of the CARES Act, the warrants (and common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) we issued to Treasury did not and will not result in an “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382. This exception does not apply for companies issuing warrants, stock options, common or preferred stock or other equity pursuant to PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 and accordingly will not apply to the warrants issued by us under PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3. Substantially all of our remaining federal NOL carryforwards attributable to US Airways Group and its subsidiaries are subject to limitation under Section 382 as a result of the Merger; however, our ability to utilize such NOL carryforwards is not anticipated to be effectively constrained as a result of such limitation. Similar limitations may apply for state income tax purposes.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, an ownership change may severely limit or effectively eliminate our ability to utilize our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes. In connection with the expiration in December 2021 of certain transfer restrictions applicable to substantial shareholders contained in our Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors of AAG adopted a tax benefits preservation plan (the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan) in order to preserve our ability to use our NOLs and certain other tax attributes to reduce potential future income tax obligations. The Tax Benefits Preservation Plan was subsequently ratified by our stockholders at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AAG. The Tax Benefits Preservation Plan is designed to reduce the likelihood that we experience an ownership change by deterring certain acquisitions of AAG common stock. There is no assurance, however, that the deterrent mechanism will be effective, and such acquisitions may still occur. In addition, the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan may adversely affect the marketability of AAG common stock by discouraging existing or potential investors from acquiring AAG common stock or additional shares of AAG common stock, because any non-exempt third party that acquires 4.9% or more of the then-outstanding shares of AAG common stock would suffer substantial dilution of its ownership interest in AAG.

New U.S. tax legislation may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (the IRA) was signed into law in the U.S. Among other changes, the IRA introduced a corporate minimum tax on certain corporations with average adjusted financial statement income over a three-tax year period in excess of $1.0 billion and an excise tax on certain stock repurchases by certain covered corporations for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. The corporate minimum tax and any excise tax imposed on any repurchases of AAG common stock made after December 31, 2022 may adversely affect our financial condition in the future. The U.S. government may enact additional significant changes to the taxation of business entities including, among others, an increase in the corporate income tax rate, significant changes to the taxation of income derived from international operations, and an addition of further limitations on the deductibility of business interest. We are currently unable to predict whether such additional changes will occur. If such changes are enacted or implemented, we are currently unable to predict the ultimate impact on our business and therefore there can be no assurance our business will not be adversely affected.

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We have a significant amount of goodwill, which is assessed for impairment at least annually. In addition, we may never realize the full value of our intangible assets or long-lived assets, causing us to record material impairment charges.

Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized, but are assessed for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if conditions indicate that an impairment may have occurred. In accordance with applicable accounting standards, we first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test. In addition, we are required to assess certain of our other long-lived assets for impairment if conditions indicate that an impairment may have occurred.

Future impairment of goodwill or other long-lived assets could be recorded in results of operations as a result of changes in assumptions, estimates, or circumstances, some of which are beyond our control. There can be no assurance that a material impairment charge of goodwill or tangible or intangible assets will be avoided. The value of our aircraft could be impacted in future periods by changes in supply and demand for these aircraft. Such changes in supply and demand for certain aircraft types could result from grounding of aircraft by us or other airlines, including as a result of significant or prolonged declines in demand for air travel and corresponding reductions to capacity. We can provide no assurance that a material impairment loss of tangible or intangible assets will not occur in a future period; we have previously incurred significant impairment charges associated with our decision to retire certain aircraft as a result of the severe decline in demand for air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risk of future material impairments remains uncertain. Such impairment charges could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The airline industry is intensely competitive and dynamic.

Our competitors include other major domestic airlines and foreign, regional and new entrant airlines, as well as joint ventures formed by some of these airlines, many of which have greater financial or other resources and/or lower cost structures than ours, as well as other forms of transportation, such as rail and private automobiles or alternatives to commuting or business travel including remote or flexible working policies and communication alternatives such as videoconferencing. In many of our markets, we compete with at least one low-cost carrier (including so-called ultra-low-cost carriers). Our revenues are sensitive to the actions of other carriers in many areas, including pricing, scheduling, capacity, fees (including cancellation, change and baggage fees), amenities, loyalty benefits and promotions, which can have a substantial adverse impact not only on our revenues, but on overall industry revenues. These factors may become even more significant in periods when the industry experiences large losses (such as occurred recently during the COVID-19 pandemic), as airlines under financial stress, or in bankruptcy, may institute pricing or fee structures intended to attract more customers to achieve near-term survival at the expense of long-term viability.

Low-cost carriers (including so-called ultra-low-cost carriers) have a profound impact on industry revenues. Using the advantage of low unit costs, these carriers offer lower fares in order to shift demand from larger, more established airlines, and represent significant competitors, particularly for customers who fly infrequently, are price sensitive and therefore tend not to be loyal to any one particular carrier. A number of these low-cost carriers have recently commenced operations with the stated intention to grow rapidly. Many of these new and existing carriers have announced growth strategies including commitments to acquire significant numbers of new aircraft for delivery in the next few years. These low-cost carriers are attempting to continue to increase their market share through growth and consolidation, and are expected to continue to have an impact on our revenues and overall performance. We and several other large network carriers have implemented “Basic Economy” fares designed to more effectively compete against low-cost carriers, but we cannot predict whether these initiatives will be successful. While historically these carriers have provided competition in domestic markets, we have recently experienced new competition from low-cost carriers on international routes, including low-cost airlines executing international long-haul expansion strategies, a trend likely to continue, in particular with the planned introduction of long-range narrowbody aircraft in coming years. The actions of existing or future low-cost carriers, including those described above, could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial performance.

We provide air travel internationally, directly as well as through joint businesses, alliances, codeshare and similar arrangements to which we are a party. While our network is comprehensive, compared to some of our key global competitors, we generally have somewhat greater relative exposure to certain regions (for example, Latin America) and somewhat lower relative exposure to others (for example, China). Our financial performance relative to our key competitors will therefore be influenced significantly by macro-economic conditions in particular regions around the world and the relative exposure of our network to the markets in those regions, including the duration of declines in demand for travel to specific regions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the speed with which demand for travel to these regions returns.

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Our international service exposes us to foreign economies and the potential for reduced demand when any foreign country we serve suffers adverse local economic conditions or if governments restrict commercial air service to or from any of these markets. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a precipitous and prolonged decline in demand for air travel, in particular international travel, in part as a result of the imposition by the U.S. and foreign governments of restrictions on travel from certain regions. In addition, open skies agreements, which are now in place with a substantial number of countries around the world, provide international airlines with open access to U.S. markets, potentially subjecting us to increased competition on our international routes. See also “Our business is subject to extensive government regulation, which may result in increases in our costs, disruptions to our operations, limits on our operating flexibility, reductions in the demand for air travel, and competitive disadvantages.”

Certain airline alliances, joint ventures and joint businesses have been, or may in the future be, granted immunity from antitrust regulations by governmental authorities for specific areas of cooperation, such as joint pricing decisions. To the extent alliances formed by our competitors can undertake activities that are not available to us, our ability to effectively compete may be hindered. Our ability to attract and retain customers is dependent upon, among other things, our ability to offer our customers convenient access to desired markets. Our business could be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain or obtain alliance and marketing relationships with other air carriers in desired markets.

American has established a transatlantic joint business with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Finnair, a transpacific joint business with Japan Airlines and a joint business relating to Australia and New Zealand with Qantas, each of which has been granted antitrust immunity. The transatlantic joint business benefits from a grant of antitrust immunity from the DOT and was reviewed by the EC in July 2010. In connection with this review, we provided certain commitments to the EC regarding, among other things, the availability of take-off and landing slots at LHR or LGW airports. The commitments accepted by the EC were binding for 10 years. In October 2018, in anticipation of the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit, and the expiry of the EC commitments in July 2020, the CMA opened an investigation into the transatlantic joint business. We continue to fully cooperate with the CMA and, in September 2020 and April 2022, the CMA adopted interim measures that effectively extend the EC commitments until March 2026 in light of the uncertainty and other impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CMA plans to complete its investigation before the scheduled expiration of the interim measures in March 2026. The foregoing arrangements are important aspects of our international network and we are dependent on the performance and continued cooperation of the other airlines party to those arrangements.

We have a marketing relationship with JetBlue that includes an alliance agreement with reciprocal codesharing on certain domestic and international routes from New York (JFK, LGA and EWR) and BOS, and provides for reciprocal loyalty program benefits. The arrangement does not include JetBlue’s transatlantic flying. Pursuant to federal law, American and JetBlue submitted this proposed alliance arrangement to the DOT for review. After American, JetBlue and the DOT agreed to a series of commitments, the DOT terminated its review of the proposed alliance in January 2021. The commitments include growth commitments to ensure capacity expansion, slot divestitures at JFK and at DCA near Washington, D.C. and antitrust compliance measures. Beyond the DOT Agreement, American and JetBlue will also refrain from certain kinds of coordination on certain city pair markets. Upon the DOT’s termination of its review of the proposed alliance, American and JetBlue implemented the proposed alliance subject to these commitments. On September 21, 2021, the DOJ, joined by Attorneys General from six states and the District of Columbia, filed an antitrust complaint against American and JetBlue in the District of Massachusetts alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust law in connection with the NEA. The parties presented their respective cases in a bench trial that commenced on September 27, 2022. Closing arguments from both parties were presented on November 18, 2022. A decision is expected in the first quarter of 2023. Separately, in December 2022, two putative class action lawsuits were filed in the Eastern District of New York also alleging that the NEA violated the antitrust law. Those lawsuits, which have been consolidated, seek monetary and injunctive relief. In February 2023, private party plaintiffs filed two additional putative class action antitrust complaints against American and JetBlue in the District of Massachusetts and the Eastern District of New York, respectively. We believe these complaints are without merit and are defending against them vigorously.

Notwithstanding the DOT’s termination of its reviews of the NEA and certain other alliances, the DOT maintains authority to conduct investigations under the scope of its existing statutes and regulations, including conduct related to this alliance. On September 21, 2021, the DOT published a Clarification Notice relating to the DOT Agreement. The DOT Clarification Notice stated, among other things, that the DOT Agreement remains in force during the pendency of the DOJ action against the NEA and, while the DOT retains independent statutory authority to prohibit unfair methods of competition in air transportation, the DOT intends to defer to the DOJ to resolve the antitrust concerns that the DOJ has identified with respect to the NEA. The DOT simultaneously published a Notice Staying Proceeding in relation to a complaint by Spirit Airlines, Inc. regarding the NEA, pending resolution of the DOJ action described above. On September

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30, 2022, the DOT issued a further statement referencing the prior Clarification Notice and, among other things, indicating its intention to continue working with the DOJ in its efforts to resolve the ongoing proceedings regarding the NEA.

No assurances can be given as to any benefits that we may derive from any of the foregoing arrangements or any other arrangements that may ultimately be implemented, or whether regulators will, or if granted continue to, approve or impose material conditions on our business activities.

Other mergers and other forms of airline partnerships, including antitrust immunity grants, may take place and may not involve us as a participant. Depending on which carriers combine or integrate and which assets, if any, are sold or otherwise transferred to other carriers in connection with any such transactions, our competitive position relative to the post-transaction carriers or other carriers that acquire such assets could be harmed. In addition, as carriers combine through traditional mergers or integrate their operations through antitrust immunity grants, their route networks will grow, and that growth will result in greater overlap with our network, which in turn could decrease our overall market share and revenues. Such combination or collaboration is not limited to the U.S., but could include further transactions among international carriers in Europe and elsewhere that result in broader networks offered by rival airlines.

Additionally, our AAdvantage loyalty program, which is an important element of our sales and marketing programs, faces significant and increasing competition from the loyalty programs offered by other travel companies, as well as from similar loyalty benefits offered by banks and other financial services companies. Competition among loyalty programs is intense regarding the rewards, fees, required usage, and other terms and conditions of these programs. In addition, we have used certain assets from our AAdvantage loyalty program as collateral for the AAdvantage Financing, which contains covenants that impose restrictions on certain amendments or changes to certain of our AAdvantage Agreements and other aspects of the AAdvantage loyalty program. These competitive factors and covenants (to the extent applicable) may affect our ability to attract and retain customers, increase usage of our loyalty program and maximize the revenue generated by our loyalty program.

We may also be impacted by competition regulations affecting certain of our major commercial partners, including our co-branded credit card partners. For example, there has previously been bipartisan legislation proposed in Congress called the Credit Card Competition Act designed to increase credit card transaction routing options for merchants which, if enacted, could result in a reduction of the fees levied on credit card transactions. If this legislation were successful, it could fundamentally alter the profitability of our agreements with co-branded credit card partners and the benefits we provide to our consumers through the co-branded credit cards issued by these partners.

The commercial relationships that we have with other companies, including any related equity investments, may not produce the returns or results we expect.

An important part of our strategy to expand our network has been to initiate or expand our commercial relationships with other airlines, such as by entering into global alliance, joint business and codeshare relationships, and, in certain instances, including China Southern Airlines, GOL and JetSMART, by making an equity investment in another airline in connection with initiating or expanding such a commercial relationship. We may explore additional investments in, and joint ventures and strategic alliances with, other carriers as part of our global business strategy. We face competition in forming and maintaining these commercial relationships since there are a limited number of potential arrangements and other airlines are looking to enter into similar relationships, and our inability to form or maintain these relationships or inability to form as many of these relationships as our competitors may have an adverse effect on our business. Any such existing or future investment could involve significant challenges and risks, including that we may not realize a satisfactory return on our investment or that they may not generate the expected revenue synergies, and they may distract management focus from our operations or other strategic options. We may also be subject to consequences from any illegal conduct of joint business partners as well as to any political or regulatory change that negatively impacts or prohibits our arrangements with any such business partners. In addition, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic recovery, the industry experienced significant volatility in demand for air travel both internationally and domestically, which is expected to continue into the foreseeable future and could materially disrupt our partners' abilities to provide air service, the timely execution of our strategic operating plans, including the finalization, approval and implementation of new strategic relationships or the maintenance or expansion of existing relationships. If any carriers with which we partner or in which we hold an equity stake were to cease trading or be declared insolvent, we could lose the value of any such investment or experience significant operational disruption. These events could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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We may also from time to time pursue commercial relationships with companies outside the airline industry, which relationships may include equity investments or other financial commitments. Any such relationship or related investment could involve unique risks, particularly where these relationships involve new industry participants, emerging technologies or industries with which we are unfamiliar.

Our business is very dependent on the price and availability of aircraft fuel. Continued periods of high volatility in fuel costs, increased fuel prices or significant disruptions in the supply of aircraft fuel could have a significant negative impact on consumer demand, our operating results and liquidity.

Our operating results are materially impacted by changes in the availability, price volatility and cost of aircraft fuel, which represents one of the largest single cost items in our business and thus is a significant factor in the price of airline tickets. Market prices for aircraft fuel have fluctuated substantially over the past several years and prices continue to be highly volatile, with market spot prices ranging from a low of approximately $0.37 per gallon to a high of approximately $4.40 per gallon during the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022.

Because of the amount of fuel needed to operate our business, even a relatively small increase or decrease in the price of fuel can have a material effect on our operating results and liquidity. Due to the competitive nature of the airline industry and unpredictability of the market for air travel, we can offer no assurance that we may be able to increase our fares, impose fuel surcharges or otherwise increase revenues or decrease other operating costs sufficiently to offset fuel price increases. Similarly, we cannot predict actions that may be taken by our competitors in response to changes in fuel prices.

We cannot predict the future availability, price volatility or cost of aircraft fuel. Natural disasters (including hurricanes or similar events in the U.S. Southeast and on the Gulf Coast where a significant portion of domestic refining capacity is located), political disruptions or wars involving oil-producing countries, economic sanctions imposed against oil-producing countries or specific industry participants, changes in fuel-related governmental policy, the strength of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies, changes in the cost to transport or store petroleum products and any related staffing or transportation equipment shortages, changes in access to petroleum product pipelines and terminals, speculation in the energy futures markets, changes in aircraft fuel production capacity, environmental concerns and other unpredictable events, may result in fuel supply shortages, distribution challenges, additional fuel price volatility and cost increases in the future. Any of these factors or events could cause a disruption in or increased demands on oil production, refinery operations, pipeline capacity or terminal access and possibly result in significant increases in the price of aircraft fuel and diminished availability of aircraft fuel supply.

Our aviation fuel purchase contracts generally do not provide meaningful price protection against increases in fuel costs. Our current policy is not to enter into transactions to hedge our fuel consumption, although we review this policy from time to time based on market conditions and other factors. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2022, we did not have any fuel hedging contracts outstanding to hedge our fuel consumption. As such, and assuming we do not enter into any future transactions to hedge our fuel consumption, we will continue to be fully exposed to fluctuations in fuel prices. See also the discussion in Part II, Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk – “Aircraft Fuel.”

In addition, as part of our emissions reduction targets, we and other airlines have committed to increasing the use of SAF in our fleet. Currently, industrial production of SAF is small in scale and inadequate to meet growing industry demand, and while additional production capacity is expected to come online in coming years, we anticipate that competition for SAF among industry participants will remain intense. As a result, we may need to pay a significant premium for SAF above the price we would pay for conventional jet fuel. To secure future SAF supply, we have entered into multiple agreements for the purchase of future SAF production, and continue to engage with producers regarding potential future SAF purchases, which may include investments to support these producers. Certain existing or potential future agreements pertain to SAF production from facilities that are planned but not yet operational, and which may utilize technology that has not been proven at commercial scale. There is no assurance that these facilities will be built or that they will meet contracted production timelines and volumes. In the event that the SAF is not delivered on schedule or in sufficient volumes, there can be no assurance that we will be able to source a supply of SAF sufficient to meet our stated goals, or that we will be able to do so on favorable economic terms.

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Our business is subject to extensive government regulation, which may result in increases in our costs, disruptions to our operations, limits on our operating flexibility, reductions in the demand for air travel, and competitive disadvantages.

Airlines are subject to extensive domestic and international regulatory requirements. In the last several years, Congress and state and local governments have passed laws and regulatory initiatives, and the DOT, the FAA, the TSA and several of their respective international counterparts have issued regulations and a number of other directives, that affect the airline industry. These requirements impose substantial costs on us and restrict the ways we may conduct our business.

For example, the FAA from time to time issues directives and other regulations relating to the maintenance and operation of aircraft that require significant expenditures or operational restrictions. These requirements can be issued with little or no notice, or can otherwise impact our ability to efficiently or fully utilize our aircraft, and in some instances have resulted in the temporary and prolonged grounding of aircraft types altogether (including, for example, the March 2019 grounding of all Boeing 737 MAX Family aircraft, which was not lifted in the United States until November 2020), or otherwise caused substantial disruption and resulted in material costs to us and lost revenues. The recent telecom industry roll-out of 5G technology, and concerns regarding its possible interference with aircraft navigation systems, also resulted in regulatory uncertainty and the potential for operational impacts, including possible suspension of service to certain airports or the operation of certain aircraft. See "We rely heavily on technology and automated systems to operate our business, and any failure of these technologies or systems could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition." The FAA also exercises comprehensive regulatory authority over nearly all technical aspects of our operations. Our failure to comply with such requirements has in the past and may in the future result in fines and other enforcement actions by the FAA or other regulators. The FAA recently issued a final rule implementing flight attendant duty and rest periods, which will impact our scheduling flexibility. In the future, any new regulatory requirements, particularly requirements that limit our ability to operate or price our products, could have a material adverse effect on us and the industry.

DOT consumer rules, and rules promulgated by certain analogous agencies in other countries we serve, dictate procedures for many aspects of our customer's journey, including at the time of ticket purchase, at the airport, and onboard the aircraft. DOT requires multiple disclosures of airline fares, taxes and baggage fees and is further changing these requirements to increase the number of disclosures and the time at which they must be disclosed. DOT also recently issued a proposed rule mandating refunds in certain circumstances, such as a global pandemic. DOT has also proposed rules requiring disclosure of certain ancillary fees by air carriers and travel agents. Finally, DOT will be proposing and implementing a number of new disability regulations that will impact us, including rules for accessible lavatories on single-aisle aircraft, wheelchair damage and prompt wheelchair assistance.

The Aviation and Transportation Security Act mandates the federalization of certain airport security procedures and imposes additional security requirements on airports and airlines, most of which are funded by a per-ticket tax on passengers and a tax on airlines. Present and potential future security requirements can have the effect of imposing costs and inconvenience on travelers, potentially reducing the demand for air travel.

Similarly, there are a number of legislative and regulatory initiatives and reforms at the state and local levels. These initiatives include increasingly stringent laws to protect the environment, wage/hour requirements, mandatory paid sick or family leave, and healthcare mandates. These laws could affect our relationship with our workforce and the vendors that serve our airline and cause our expenses to increase without an ability to pass through these costs. In recent years, the airline industry has experienced an increase in litigation over the application of state and local employment laws, particularly in California. Application of these laws may result in operational disruption, increased litigation risk and impact our negotiated labor agreements. For example, we are currently involved in legal proceedings brought by flight attendants and certain other work groups in California concerning alleged violations of the state's labor code including, among other things, violations of certain meal and rest break laws, and an adverse determination in any of these cases could adversely impact our operational flexibility and result in the imposition of damages and fines, which could potentially be significant. Additionally, in September 2021, the Biden Administration issued an executive order mandating a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for federal contractors. Due to a number of our agreements, American is classified as a government contractor. Consistent with this executive order and guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force responsible for implementing the order, we announced that the federal vaccine mandate would require all of American’s U.S.-based team members and certain international crew members to be vaccinated or be exempt due to an accommodation for a medical disability or sincerely held religious belief. Enforcement of the federal contractor vaccine mandate has been on hold amid multiple ongoing legal challenges. Given the uncertainty of its viability in the courts, the timing of implementation and availability of accommodations, we cannot predict the ultimate impact of this federal vaccination

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requirement on our business should the federal government move to reinstate and enforce it. Moreover, we may be subject to state and local vaccine mandates and other COVID-19-related requirements governing airports where we operate. While OSHA has withdrawn its overarching COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, the U.S. Supreme Court has acknowledged that OSHA may issue a revised COVID-19 standard targeted to high-risk occupations or workplaces, which could impact our regional carriers and other service providers.

The results of our operations, demand for air travel, and the manner in which we conduct business each may be affected by changes in law and future actions taken by governmental agencies, including:

•changes in law that affect the services that can be offered by airlines in particular markets and at particular airports, or the types of fares offered or fees that can be charged to passengers;

•the granting and timing of certain governmental approvals (including antitrust or foreign government approvals) needed for codesharing alliances, joint businesses and other arrangements with other airlines, and the imposition of regulatory investigations or commencement of litigation related to any of the foregoing (including our arrangements with JetBlue);

•restrictions on competitive practices (for example, court orders, or agency regulations or orders, that would curtail an airline’s ability to respond to a competitor);

•the adoption of new passenger security standards or regulations that impact customer service standards;

•restrictions on airport operations, such as restrictions on the use of slots at airports or the auction or reallocation of slot rights currently held by us;

•the adoption of more restrictive locally-imposed noise restrictions; and

•restrictions on travel or special guidelines regarding aircraft occupancy or hygiene in response to outbreaks of illness, such as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the imposition of preflight testing regimes or vaccination confirmation requirements which have to date and may in the future have the effect of reducing demand for air travel in the markets where such requirements are imposed.

Each additional regulation or other form of regulatory oversight increases costs and adds greater complexity to airline operations and, in some cases, may reduce the demand for air travel. There can be no assurance that the increased costs or greater complexity associated with our compliance with new rules, anticipated rules or other forms of regulatory oversight will not have a material adverse effect on us.

Any significant reduction in air traffic capacity at and in the airspace serving key airports in the U.S. or overseas could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, the ATC system is not successfully modernizing to meet the growing demand for U.S. air travel. Air traffic controllers rely on outdated procedures and technologies that routinely compel airlines, including ourselves, to fly inefficient routes or take significant delays on the ground. The ATC system’s inability to manage existing travel demand has led government agencies to implement short-term capacity constraints during peak travel periods or adverse weather conditions in certain markets, resulting in delays and disruptions of air traffic. The outdated technologies also cause the ATC system to be less resilient in the event of a failure, and past system disruptions have resulted in large-scale flight cancellations and delays.

In the early 2000s, the FAA embarked on a path to modernize the national airspace system, including migration from the current radar-based ATC system to a GPS-based system. This modernization of the ATC system, generally referred to as “NextGen,” has been plagued by delays and cost overruns, and it remains uncertain when the full array of benefits expected from this modernization will be available to the public and the airlines, including ourselves. Failure to update the ATC system and the substantial costs that may be imposed on airlines, including ourselves, to fund a modernized ATC system may have a material adverse effect on our business.

Further, our business has been adversely impacted when government agencies have ceased to operate as expected, including due to partial shut-downs, sequestrations or similar events and the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have resulted in, among other things, reduced demand for air travel, an actual or perceived reduction in air traffic control and security screening resources and related travel delays, as well as disruption in the ability of the FAA to grant required regulatory approvals, such as those that are involved when a new aircraft is first placed into service.

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Our operating authority in international markets is subject to aviation agreements between the U.S. and the respective countries or governmental authorities, such as the EU, and in some cases, fares and schedules require the approval of the DOT and/or the relevant foreign governments. Moreover, alliances with international carriers may be subject to the jurisdiction and regulations of various foreign agencies. The U.S. government has negotiated “open skies” agreements with 130 trading partners, which agreements allow unrestricted route authority access between the U.S. and the foreign markets. While the U.S. has worked to increase the number of countries with which open skies agreements are in effect, a number of markets important to us, including China, do not have open skies agreements. For example, the open skies air services agreement between the U.S. and the EU, which took effect in March 2008, provides airlines from the U.S. and EU member states open access to each other’s markets, with freedom of pricing and unlimited rights to fly from the U.S. to any airport in the EU. As a result of the agreement and a subsequent open skies agreement involving the U.S. and the United Kingdom, which was agreed in anticipation of Brexit, we face increased competition in these markets, including LHR. Bilateral and multilateral agreements among the U.S. and various foreign governments of countries we serve but which are not covered by an open skies treaty are subject to periodic renegotiation. We currently operate a number of international routes under government arrangements that limit the number of airlines permitted to operate on the route, the capacity of the airlines providing services on the route, or the number of airlines allowed access to particular airports. If an open skies policy were to be adopted for any of these markets, it could adversely impact us and could result in impairments of our related tangible and intangible assets. In addition, competition from foreign airlines, revenue-sharing joint ventures, joint business agreements, and other alliance arrangements by and among other airlines could impair the value of our business and assets on the open skies routes.

On May 1, 2021 the EU and United Kingdom entered into a new trade and cooperation agreement (the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement) to govern certain aspects of their relationship following Brexit. We face risks associated with Brexit, notably given the extent of our passenger and cargo traffic and that of our joint business partners that flows through LHR in the United Kingdom. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes provisions in relation to commercial air service that we expect to be sufficient to sustain our current services under the transatlantic joint business. However, the scope of traffic rights under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement is less extensive than before Brexit and therefore the full impact of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement is uncertain. As a result, the continuation of our current services, and those of our partners could be disrupted. This could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. More generally, changes in U.S. or foreign government aviation policies could result in the alteration or termination of such agreements, diminish the value of route authorities, slots or other assets located abroad, or otherwise adversely affect our international operations.

We operate a global business with international operations that are subject to economic and political instability and have been, and in the future may continue to be, adversely affected by numerous events, circumstances or government actions beyond our control.

We operate a global business with significant operations outside of the U.S. Our current international activities and prospects have been, and in the future could be, adversely affected by government policies, reversals or delays in the opening of foreign markets, increased competition in international markets, the performance of our alliance, joint business and codeshare partners in a given market, exchange controls or other restrictions on repatriation of funds, currency and political risks (including changes in exchange rates and currency devaluations), environmental regulation, increases in taxes and fees and changes in international government regulation of our operations, including the inability to obtain or retain needed route authorities and/or slots. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the demand for international travel for a prolonged period, and resulted in the imposition of significant governmental restrictions on commercial air service to or from certain regions. We responded by temporarily suspending a significant portion of our long-haul international flights and delaying the introduction of certain new long-haul international routes. While many countries have largely eliminated their pandemic restrictions, or are in the process of doing so, we can provide no assurance as to when demand for international travel will return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, if at all, or whether certain international destinations we previously served will be economical in the future.

We are subject to varying registration requirements and ongoing reporting obligations in the countries where we operate. Our permission to continue doing business in these countries may depend on our ability to timely fulfil or remedy any noncompliance with these and other governmental requirements. We may also be subject to the risk that relevant government agencies will be delayed in granting or renewing required approvals, including as a result of shutdowns (such as occurred in certain jurisdictions during the COVID-19 pandemic), cybersecurity incidents or other events. Any lapse, revocation, suspension or delay in approval of our authority to do business in a given jurisdiction may prevent us from serving certain destinations and could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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More generally, our industry may be affected by any deterioration in global trade relations, including shifts in the trade policies of individual nations. For example, much of the demand for international air travel is the result of business travel in support of global trade. Should protectionist governmental policies, such as increased tariff or other trade barriers, travel limitations and other regulatory actions, have the effect of reducing global commercial activity, the result could be a material decrease in the demand for international air travel. Additionally, certain of the products and services that we purchase, including certain of our aircraft and related parts, are sourced from suppliers located outside the U.S., and the imposition of new tariffs, or any increase in existing tariffs, by the U.S. government in respect of the importation of such products could materially increase the amounts we pay for them.

We face risks associated with Brexit, notably given the extent of our passenger and cargo traffic and that of our joint business partners that flows through LHR in the United Kingdom. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes provisions in relation to commercial air service that we expect to be sufficient to sustain our current services under the transatlantic joint business. However, the scope of traffic rights under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement is less extensive than before Brexit and therefore the full impact of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement is uncertain. As a result, the continuation of our current services, and those of our partners could be disrupted. Moreover, Brexit has created uncertainty as to the future trade relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom, including air traffic services. LHR is presently a very important element of our international network, however it may become less desirable as a destination or as a hub location after Brexit when