American Airlines plans to install screens at every seat as part of a cabin overhaul that includes adding more rows in first class and extra legroom in narrow-body planes.

The new interiors are part of American's plan to attract more premium revenue and catch up to Delta and United, its more profitable rivals. Major airlines have invested heavily in onboard experiences in recent years as they vie for passengers' loyalty-particularly those willing to spend extra for a more comfortable flight.

In addition to retrofitting its Airbus A319 and A320 fleets to add an extra row in first class, American has upcoming deliveries of Boeing 737 MAX 10 planes that will feature two dozen first-class seats, and its A321neo fleet will be reconfigured to include more first-class seating. The carrier is also expanding the number of extra-legroom seats.

American said it plans to boost the share of premium seating on narrow-body departures to 40% from about 25% currently. It had previously announced plans to add Starlink Wi-Fi on hundreds of narrow-body planes starting next year.

American's 140 long-haul jets already have seat-back screens. Adding them to more than 800 single-aisle jets that operate most domestic flights will be an expensive undertaking. American hasn't disclosed how much it plans to spend.

Adding seat-back entertainment is a reversal for an airline that, less than a decade ago, was ripping screens off its planes. While seat-back screens have remained a stalwart feature on planes that fly lengthy international journeys, many airline executives for years were convinced they weren't worth having on their domestic fleets.

Screens are bulky and heavy, adding to airlines' fuel bills. They break and require maintenance. Carriers reasoned that most passengers brought their own phones and tablets anyway.

But Delta remained committed to screens. A few years ago, United started installing them again, reasoning that they would be a differentiator.

Airlines have realized that seat-back screens also present an opportunity to show passengers personalized content. United in recent years started showing personalized ads on seat-back screens.

Screens will be included on American's newly delivered Boeing and Airbus planes starting in 2028. Retrofits will start later that year, and American said it expects screens to be installed across its full fleet by early in the next decade.