AA Launches 25 New Routes, Expanding Its Network to 365 Destinations
American Airlines, the world's largest airline, is adding 25 new routes to its network, 15 international and 10 domestic.
Two of the new routes are destinations not currently served by any airline directly from the US: Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV) and Bologna, Italy (BLQ). Both of those new routes -- plus Berlin (TXL) -- will be served out of AA's transatlantic gateway of Philadelphia (PHL).
However, Philadelphia isn't the only airport getting new European routes. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Dublin (DUB) and Dallas to Munich, Germany (MUC) launch on Thursday, June 6. Both routes will be flown with a 787 Dreamliner, with the Dublin route being served by the 787-9 variety and Munich getting the smaller 787-8.
American Airlines awards between the US and Europe start at 30,000 AAdvantage miles one-way in economy; 40,000 miles one-way in premium economy or 57,500 miles one-way in business class. On the year-round routes, you can redeem just 22,500 AAdvantage miles one-way for an off-peak award.
On this side of the Atlantic, AA is launching three year-round short-haul international routes from its headquarters hub in Dallas/Fort Worth:
- Tegucigalpa, Honduras (TGU) launches 3x weekly on June 6 using an Airbus A319
- Durango, Mexico (DGO) takes off daily starting June 6 using AA's smallest aircraft ERJ-140 & ERJ-145
- San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) starts 4x weekly on June 7 using an Airbus A319
American Airlines is also launching a slew of Saturday-only routes between the US and the Caribbean. New York-based flyers will appreciate a new nonstop route between LaGuardia (LGA) and Aruba (AUA) using an Boeing 737-800. Charlotte (CLT) flyers will be able to head nonstop to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ) on an Airbus A320 on Saturdays. And DFW is also getting Santo Domingo service on Saturdays through mid-August.
AA is also adding three new Canadian routes: Chicago (ORD) to Quebec City (YQB), New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Halifax (YHZ) and Philadelphia (PHL) to Halifax (YHZ).
American Airlines is also adding a new South America route: Miami (MIA) to Cordoba, Argentina (COR) will begin flying 4x weekly starting this Thursday using a Boeing 767.
Here's the full list of new international routes launching now through June 15:
Domestically, AA is adding 10 new routes on June 6 and 8. Three of these routes are summer service between AA's hubs in Chicago (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) and Kalispell, Montana (FCA).
New year-round routes include Chicago to Manchester, New Hampshire (MHT); Chicago to Joplin, Missouri (JLN) and Dallas to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (MDT).
The longest route -- and the only one served by a mainline aircraft -- is between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Jackson, Wyoming (JAC). This Saturday-only service runs from June 8 through September 28, December 21 through January 4 and then February 15 through April 4, 2020.
As the Chicago-Joplin route is under 500 direct flight miles, awards on these flights start at 7,500 AAdvantage miles each way. There's pretty good availability currently on this route:
All of the other routes are more than 500 direct flight miles, so saver awards on these flights will start at 12,500 AAdvantage miles each way. However, you can book award flights on many of these routes for cheaper using British Airways Avios -- even after the award chart changed last week. Plus, you can take advantage of the ongoing 30% transfer bonus from Chase Ultimate Rewards to British Airways Avios to use as little as 6,000 points for award bookings on these flights.
Here's the full list of new domestic routes launching this week:
Recently, Brian Kelly (The Points Guy himself) sat down with American Airlines' Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning Vasu Raja to talk about how AA chooses where to fly, which aircraft to use on those routes — and even the pronunciation of the word "route." Check out the enlightening conversation here:
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