EXHIBIT 5.1


                      [American Airlines, Inc. Letterhead]

                                November 15, 2001



Ladies and Gentlemen:

         I am Senior Vice President and General Counsel of American Airlines,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and as such I am delivering this
opinion in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), of a Registration Statement on Form S-4
(Registration No. 333-     ) (the "Registration Statement") and the prospectus
included therein (the "Prospectus"). The Registration Statement relates to the
exchange offer (the "Exchange Offer") by the Company of Pass Through
Certificates, Series 2001-1 (the "New Certificates") for Pass Through
Certificates, Series 2001-1 (the "Old Certificates") originally issued pursuant
to applicable exemptions from registration under the Securities Act. The Old
Certificates were issued in five series in an aggregate principal amount of
$1,319,649,000, and the New Certificates will be issued in five series in an
aggregate principal amount of $1,253,516,652.24, under a Pass Through Trust
Agreement and five separate Trust Supplements (collectively, the "Pass Through
Trust Agreements") entered into between the Company and State Street Bank and
Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee").
Capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings specified in
the Pass Through Trust Agreements filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement.

         I or attorneys under my supervision have examined and relied upon the
Registration Statement, the Pass Through Trust Agreements and originals, or
copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records,
documents and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate
to enable me to render the opinion expressed below. In all such examinations, we
have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons executing documents, the
genuineness of all signatures on original or certified copies, the authenticity
of all original or certified copies and the conformity to original or certified
documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed or reproduction copies. We
also have relied as to factual matters upon, and have assumed the accuracy of,
the representations and warranties contained in the Pass Through Trust
Agreements and representations, statements and certificates of or from public
officials.

         Based on and subject to the foregoing and subject to the qualifications
set forth below, I am of the opinion that, with respect to the New Certificates
of each series, when the execution, authentication and delivery of the New
Certificates of such series by the Trustee have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action of the Company and the Trustee, and the New
Certificates of such series have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and
delivered by the Trustee in exchange for the Old Certificates as described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the New Certificates of such
series will be validly issued and will be entitled to the benefits of the
applicable Pass Through Trust Agreement.




         My opinion expressed above is limited to the federal laws of the United
States of America, the laws of the State of New York and the corporate laws of
the State of Delaware.

         The foregoing opinion is limited by and subject to the effects of (i)
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting
enforcement of creditors' rights or remedies generally, (ii) general principles
of equity (whether such principles are considered in a proceeding at law or
equity), including the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may
be brought, concepts of good faith, reasonableness and fair dealing, and
standards of materiality, and (iii) in the case of indemnity provisions, public
policy considerations.

         I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and the use of my name under the caption "Legal Opinions"
in the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement. In giving this
consent, I do not admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of
the Commission issued thereunder.



                                     Very truly yours,


                                     /s/ Anne H. McNamara
                                     Anne H. McNamara
                                     Senior Vice President and General Counsel