American Airlines Group

American Airlines received a score of 100 on the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2). The company temporarily banned passengers who refused to wear a facemask while onboard an American Airlines flight (3). The company has banned some customers for violating its mask rule and inciting violence. The company required that all employees get vaccinated for Covid-19 in 2021, or face termination (4). The rule was ultimately reversed and never enforced due to ongoing court cases, but strict protocols were enforced on unvaccinated employees who had received an exemption or refused to be vaccinated (5).

American Airlines’ HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2). The company will not donate to, “Religious organizations, churches and programs that are purely denominational in purpose” (3).

American Airlines’ HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2). The company is a signatory of the Gender & Diversity KPI Alliance, appearing to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender and racial targets for its leadership composition and its support of DEI in its hiring and promotions (3)(4). The company also held an Inclusion Summit for its leaders providing training on inclusive leadership (5). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (6). America First Legal filed a letter with the EEOC requesting a civil rights investigation into the company’s over discriminatory practices in hiring. However, in December 2024, the company agreed to abandon the discriminatory hiring practices AFL outlined in its case (7)(8)(9). In February 2025, the American Alliance for Equal Rights filed a complaint against American Airlines for having discriminatory practices in its supplier diversity program (10).

American Airlines’ HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company signed an open letter endorsing the Equality Act, a contentious proposal to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected categories. The legislation would, among other implications, grant biological men access to women-only spaces such as sports teams and public restrooms, and compel healthcare providers to deliver sex-denying healthcare and transgender participation in female sports (3)(4). The company signed an amicus brief in opposition to the 2016 North Carolina bathroom bill HB2, which required people to use the bathroom of their biological sex (5)(6). The company created pins for employees to wear that say “Black Lives Matter” (7). The company opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which would prohibit teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in K-3rd grade (8). The company’s CEO is a member of the Business Roundtable and its former CEO signed the 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders (9)(10). For the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn raids, the company publicized its first-ever all LGBTQ+ flight crew, including two drag queens in their crew for the duration of the flight (11). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (12). The company opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (13). The company former CEO, Doug Parker, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (14)(15). The company collaborated with Thirteen Lune, a company where “90% of brands carried at thirteen lune are diverse-owned, 10% are brands who champion inclusivity”. The company also stated that “we will continue to strive to create a culture of inclusion” (16). The company scored a 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group (17)(18).

American Airlines’ HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company is a Platinum Partner of the HRC (3). The company is also a Bronze sponsor of Out and Equal and a founding corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (4)(5). In January 2025, a Texas federal judge ruled that the company violated federal law by filling its 401(k) plan with funds from investment companies focused on ESG outcomes (6). American Airlines is a partner of the HRC’s Foundation (7)(8). American Airlines sponsored the following 2x events in 2025: Dayton Pride 2025, Dallas Pride (9)(10). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (11).

American Airlines’ HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company donated to the Equality PAC but has not lobbied for ideological purposes (3)(4)(5).