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American Airlines is increasingly deploying its smallest long-haul aircraft to pursue higher-margin international routes, according to new reporting. The strategy reflects airlines' broader effort to optimize fleet deployment amid volatile fuel costs and shifting demand patterns. By matching smaller widebody jets to routes with strong yield potential but limited passenger volume, American aims to expand profitable long-haul service without the capital intensity of larger aircraft, a tactic other carriers have also explored as competition for premium international traffic intensifies.