American Airlines says it is negotiating partnership with Brazil's Gol

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc <AAL.O> said on Friday it is negotiating a possible partnership with Brazil's Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA <GOLL4.SA>.

A spokeswoman said American is "always looking for potential partners", adding that these types of possible partnerships are a part of normal operations. Gol declined to comment.

Gol shares were up 4.8% in Sao Paulo near the end of Friday's trading session.

American was commenting on a newspaper report that it was negotiating a deal that could "integrate flights between the two airlines in Latin America.".

The report in Brazil's Valor Economico, which cited sources familiar with the matter, said the two companies entered into contact in September, on the same day that Delta Air Lines Inc <DAL.N> bought a stake in Gol competitor Latam Airlines Group SA <LTM.SN>.

The companies are also talking with other airlines about potential partnerships, the newspaper said, without elaborating. The paper added the structure or content of any potential partnership was unclear.

In September, Delta announced a surprise deal with Latam to purchase a minority stake in the Chile-based airline for $1.9 billion. Delta subsequently sold its minority stake in Gol, and Latam and American severed a pre-existing alliance.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Nick Zieminski and David Gregorio)