Passengers on board American Airlines’ new fleet of aircraft will have to bring their own entertainment, because the cabins won’t feature any built-in video screens.

The world's largest carrier said it decided to ditch seat-back monitors on its new Boeing 737 Max aircraft – intended for domestic routes in the US – because most passengers travel with mobile phones, laptops and tablets. Instead of investing in screens it will upgrade in-flight internet speed, to ensure passengers can browse the web and stream movies quickly.

“More than 90 per cent of our passengers already bring a device or screen with them when they fly,” the airline said in a statement to its employees on Tuesday. “Those phones and tablets are continually upgraded, they're easy to use and, most importantly, they are the technology our customers have chosen.”

The airline’s library of in-flight films, TV shows and music will be available free of charge, although passengers will have to pay for on-board internet access. The fee has not yet been announced.

American will take delivery of four new Boeing Max aircraft later this year, the first installment of a 100-plane order. The airline has requested no seat-back screens on this first batch of aircraft, but has not revealed whether subsequent new planes will be without monitors too. The airline has stated that seat-back screens will remain on its international routes.

Installing an inflight entertainment system costs $3 million (£2.3 million) per plane

Thanks to advances in satellite communications, the speed of inflight Wi-Fi has vastly improved in recent years – and American is not the first airline to rethink its entertainment offerings. Some airlines, such as Jetstar, WestJet and Virgin Australia, already charge passengers to access wireless internet, and offer no seat-back screens on a selection of flights.

Equipping planes with traditional in-flight entertainment is a costly business. According to the Wall Street Journal, seat-back screens cost $3 million (£2.3 million) per plane, while the weight of cabling required for the system costs $90,000 (£71,500) in extra fuel per year for every aircraft – based on a Boeing 767 aircraft with 260 seats.

However, with the airline’s announcement last week of its new ‘basic economy’ seating class available on flights from February 10, passengers might struggle to fit any in-flight entertainment into their luggage without receiving a fine. Passengers with the cheapest tickets will be unable to stow hand luggage in the overhead lockers: instead, they are restricted to one small item such as a “purse or small backpack” – and any bags that don’t fit under the seats will incur a $25 (£20) levy at the airport gate.