News

American Airlines Adds New Routes for College Football Season

Alma Avalle

July 19, 2019 • 3 min read

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Last month we wrote about United adding special point-to-point routes for the college football season, and it appears American Airlines is following suit. The carrier announced five special routes for big games in the upcoming season to court fans into traveling to support their favorite teams, and will expand service on four existing routes to increase capacity.

American released a video along with the announcement outlining the expanded service, and highlighting some pretty unusual routes.

For example, to accommodate fans hoping to watch the Alabama-Texas A&M game, American will operate flights to and from Birmingham, Alabama and College Station, Texas, for the weekend of the showdown.

The first flights will land at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) from Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP) on Sept. 8, with plenty more touchdowns to come over the next few months.

Scroll down to see all of American's special point-to-point routes and service expansions for the 2019 football season.

Special Point-to-Point Flights

New Orleans, Louisiana (MSY), to Austin, Texas (AUS)

Game: LSU at Texas

Gameday: Sept. 7, played in Austin, Texas

Outbound is Sept. 6, return is Sept. 8

Washington Reagan (DCA), to South Bend, Indiana (SBN)

Game: UVA at Notre Dame

Gameday: Sept. 28, played in Notre Dame, Indiana

Outbound is Sept. 27, return is Sept. 29

Chicago O'Hare (ORD), to SBN

Game: USC at Notre Dame

Gameday: Oct. 12, played in Notre Dame, Indiana

Outbound is Oct. 11, return is Oct. 13

Birmingham, Alabama (BHM), to College Station, Texas (CLL)

Game: Alabama at Texas A&M

Gameday: Oct. 12, played in College Station, Texas

Outbound is Oct. 11, return is Oct. 13

DCA to SBN

Game: Virginia Tech at Notre Dame

Gameday: Nov. 2, played in Notre Dame, Indiana

Outbound is Nov. 1, return is Nov. 3

Expanded Service

Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP), to DFW

Game: Texas A&M at Clemson

Gameday: Sept. 7, played in Clemson, South Carolina

Added a fourth return flight on Sept. 8

ORD to State College, Pennsylvania (SCE)

Game: Michigan at Penn State

Gameday: Oct. 19, played in State College, Pennsylvania

Extra round trip added. Outbound is Oct. 18, return is Oct 19.

BHM to DFW

Game: Tennessee at Alabama

Gameday: Oct. 19 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Added a third return flight on Oct. 20

BHM to DFW

Game: LSU at Alabama

Gameday: Nov. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Added an additional return flight on Oct. 20

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

Pros + cons

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

More details

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

American released a video along with the announcement outlining the expanded service, and highlighting some pretty unusual routes.

For example, to accommodate fans hoping to watch the Alabama-Texas A&M game, American will operate flights to and from Birmingham, Alabama and College Station, Texas, for the weekend of the showdown.

The first flights will land at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) from Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP) on Sept. 8, with plenty more touchdowns to come over the next few months.

Scroll down to see all of American's special point-to-point routes and service expansions for the 2019 football season.

Special Point-to-Point Flights

New Orleans, Louisiana (MSY), to Austin, Texas (AUS)

Game: LSU at Texas

Gameday: Sept. 7, played in Austin, Texas

Outbound is Sept. 6, return is Sept. 8

Washington Reagan (DCA), to South Bend, Indiana (SBN)

Game: UVA at Notre Dame

Gameday: Sept. 28, played in Notre Dame, Indiana

Outbound is Sept. 27, return is Sept. 29

Chicago O'Hare (ORD), to SBN

Game: USC at Notre Dame

Gameday: Oct. 12, played in Notre Dame, Indiana

Outbound is Oct. 11, return is Oct. 13

Birmingham, Alabama (BHM), to College Station, Texas (CLL)

Game: Alabama at Texas A&M

Gameday: Oct. 12, played in College Station, Texas

Outbound is Oct. 11, return is Oct. 13

DCA to SBN

Game: Virginia Tech at Notre Dame

Gameday: Nov. 2, played in Notre Dame, Indiana

Outbound is Nov. 1, return is Nov. 3

Expanded Service

Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP), to DFW

Game: Texas A&M at Clemson

Gameday: Sept. 7, played in Clemson, South Carolina

Added a fourth return flight on Sept. 8

ORD to State College, Pennsylvania (SCE)

Game: Michigan at Penn State

Gameday: Oct. 19, played in State College, Pennsylvania

Extra round trip added. Outbound is Oct. 18, return is Oct 19.

BHM to DFW

Game: Tennessee at Alabama

Gameday: Oct. 19 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Added a third return flight on Oct. 20

BHM to DFW

Game: LSU at Alabama

Gameday: Nov. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Added an additional return flight on Oct. 20

Comments

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Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Special Point-to-Point Flights

Expanded Service

Comments

Comments

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TPG featured card

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

Special Point-to-Point Flights

Expanded Service

Comments

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR