It’s often said in the airline business not to waste a crisis, but the same apparently applies to a big birthday. As American Airlines gears up for its centenary in 2026, it isn’t wasting any time.

On Wednesday, the airline unveiled plans for a special livery. The retro Boeing 777-300 design blends the quirks of the 1930s with the contours of its largest long-haul jet. The orange lightning bolt that once streaked across the fuselage of the Douglas DC-3 has returned, now stretched across an aircraft that flies nonstop to Tokyo, London, and Sydney.

The “Flagship DFW” aircraft will take flight next month, just as American prepares for a full year of centennial celebrations.

The move is a calculated act of brand storytelling. Airlines incr