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Short turn-around

By 1998, TWA had reorganized as a primarily domestic carrier, with routes centered on hubs at St. Louis and New York. Partly in response to TWA Flight 800 and the age of its fleet, TWA announced a major fleet renewal, ordering 125 new aircraft. TWA paid for naming rights for the new Trans World Dome, home of the St. Louis Rams, in its corporate hometown.[citation needed] In June 1994 its headquarters moved to One City Centre in Downtown St. Louis.

TWA's fleet renewal program included adding newer and smaller, more fuel-efficient longer-range aircraft such as the Boeing 757 and 767 and short-range aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and Boeing 717. Aircraft such as the Boeing 727 and 747, along with the Lockheed L-1011 and older DC-9s, some from Ozark and the 1960s, were retired. TWA also became one of the early customers for the Airbus A318 through International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). TWA, had it continued operating through 2003, would have been the first U.S. carrier to fly the type.
International code-share agreements with Royal Jordanian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Air Europa, and Air Malta. In 1997, a code-share agreement was signed with Air Ukraine with plans to begin service between Paris and Kiev by 1999. Domestic code-share with America West Airlines was started, with long-term plans for a merger considered. However, the 1995 Karabu ticketing deal with Icahn proved to be an obstacle.

The routes that TWA flew were also changed. Several international destinations were dropped or changed, and the focus of the airline became domestic and a small number of international routes through its St. Louis hub and smaller New York (JFK) and San Juan, Puerto Rico hubs. Domestically, the carrier improved services with redesigned aircraft and new services, including "Pay in Coach, Fly in First," where passengers could be upgraded to first class from coach when flying through St. Louis. Internationally, services were cut. European destinations eventually were limited to London, and Paris; and in the Middle East, to Cairo, Riyadh, and Tel Aviv.

William Compaton, TWA's final CEO (and MD80 Captain)

2000s

TWA stated that it planned to make Los Angeles a focus city around October 2000, with a partnership with American Eagle Airlines as part of Trans World Connection.

Merger with American Airlines
Financial problems began to resurface shortly afterward, and Trans World Airlines Inc. assets were acquired in April 2001 by AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, who quickly formed a new company called TWA Airlines LLC. As part of the deal, TWA declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy (for the third time) the day after it agreed to the purchase. The terms of the deal included a $500 million payment. The total value of TWA's assets and assumed liabilities was estimated to be 2 billion. American did not claim the naming rights for the Rams' home, which eventually became the Edward Jones Dome.
TWA booking ended on November 30, 2001.

TWA Airlines LLC flew its last flight on December 1, 2001 with an MD-80 aircraft (N948TW). The ceremonial last flight was Flight 220 from Kansas City, Missouri, to St. Louis, with CEO Captain William Compton at the controls. The final flight before TWA officially became part of American Airlines was completed between St. Louis and Las Vegas, Nevada, also on December 1, 2001. At 10:00 p.m. CST on that date, employees began removing all TWA signs and placards from airports around the country, replacing them with American Airlines signs. At midnight, all TWA flights officially became listed as American Airlines flights. Some aircraft carried hybrid American/TWA livery during the transition, with American's tricolor stripe on the fuselage and TWA titles on the tail and forward fuselage. Signage still bears the TWA logo in portions of Concourse D at Lambert St. Louis International Airport. On some MD-80 aircraft, the cabinets retain TWA logos.
American Airlines acquired some Ambassadors Clubs, and other Ambassadors Clubs closed on December 2, 2001.

One lit TWA sign still exists (as of 2013) on the east side of Saarinen's TWA Flight Center terminal facing the JetBlue's Terminal 5. JetBlue will keep the lit TWA sign on the TWA Flight Center.
TWA's St. Louis hub decreased after the merger due to its proximity to American's larger hub at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. As a result, American initially replaced TWA's St. Louis mainline hub with regional jet service (going from over 800 operations a day to just over 200) and downsized TWA's maintenance base in Kansas City. In September 2009, American Airlines announced its intent to shut down the STL hub it inherited from TWA, and in October 2009, American Airlines announced its intent to close the Kansas City maintenance base by September 2010.
AMR Corp. merger with US Airways Group

On 14 February 2013, American Airlines and US Airways announced that the two companies would merge in a deal that will form the largest airline in the world. In the deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013, shareholders of American Airlines' parent AMR will own 72% of the new company and US Airways shareholders will own the remaining 28%. The combined airline will carry the American Airlines name, while US Airways' management team, including CEO Doug Parker, will retain most operational management positions. The headquarters for the new airline will also be consolidated at American's current headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. On March 27, 2013 American Airlines federal bankruptcy judge approved the merger with US Airways but denies $20M severance deal for American Airlines CEO Tom Horton. The merged livery choices could be a combination of America West, US Airways, American Airlines and TWA according to Doug Parker but will be decided at a later date with employee input. The remaining TWA MD-83s will be removed from service around 2018 according to Doug Parker. Former TWA pilots and TWA flight attendants now with American are trying to get original hire date with TWA seniority restored before merger is completed. In an interview with The Fort Worth Star Telegram, APFA President Laura Glading admitted APFA made a “mistake” and “screwed-up big time” by stapling the TWA members to the bottom of the seniority list. Ms. Glading has done nothing to remedy that mistake. It is still unknown how the merger will affect retired Trans World Airlines Inc. workers.

Pilot and Flight attendant Seniotiry Integration during merger;

Pilot Seniority Integration

The 2,500 most senior AA pilots were put at the top of the combined list. Then about 1,000 TWA pilots were folded into the remaining American Airlines pilots at the ratio of one TWA pilot for about every nine American pilots hired before the merger. The last 1,250 or so TWA pilots were stapled to the bottom of the combined seniority list.

During the post 9/11 furloughs, the TWA pilots constituted the bulk of the furloughed pilots within the merged seniority list placing them at the bottom of the comblined group. 

One protection TWA pilots had, in a contract addendum known as Supplement CC, said they were protected at their home base of St. Louis. But American now wants to close the St. Louis base, and the St. Louis pilots would be integrated into the general seniority list with a lot less relative seniority.  If this takes place, there will be a number of captains who my be displaced to first officer, along with a number of FO's getting displaced from a line holder to a reserve pilot.

American and APA agreed in a new contract adopted last year that they would submit the question of what to do with the St. Louis pilots, how they will exercise their seniority and Supplement CC to binding arbitration.

Flight Attendant Seniority Integration 

After American  Airlines bought the assests of TWA out of Chaptaer 11, the TWA flight attendants were essentially "stapled" to the bottom of the American Airlines Senioirty list.  Flight attendants with 30 plus years of service were put under newly hired flight attendants who had just completed training prior to the merger.  To be clear, the TWA flight attendants retained their longevity in respect to pay, but not with regards to bidding their base and schedules.