American Airlines will offer its passengers even more choice by introducing Premium Economy class on its international wide-body fleet in late 2016.

Passengers in Premium Economy class will enjoy a leather seat with 38 inches of pitch, personal on-demand entertainment systems, noise reducing headphones, enhanced meal service, as well as complimentary wine, beer and spirits. On the ground, they will be able to check up to two bags free of charge and enjoy priority boarding.

“Travellers want more choice when they fly and have unique preferences depending on each trip,” says American’s chief marketing officer Andrew Nocella. “Our customers tell us they want a class of service between Business Class and Main Cabin, and this feedback provided the genesis for our new Premium Economy service. Premium Economy is offered today by many premier carriers around the world. As the world’s largest carrier, we are excited to introduce this product for our customers.”

The airline’s Boeing 787-9 will be the first aircraft to have Premium Economy seating. It will offer a Business Class; three rows of Premium Economy in a 2-3-2 configuration; a Main Cabin Extra, which offers customers up to 6 inches of additional leg room; and a Main Cabin. Premium Economy will also be installed on the Airbus A350, which will arrive in 2017, followed by all Boeing 777-300ERs, 777-200ERs, 787-8s and Airbus A330s over the next three years. www.aa.com