American tacks on 2 more Italy routes for summer 2025, boosts service to Rome
It's been almost two months since American Airlines revealed its anticipated summer 2025 schedule drop, which saw the carrier unveil five new routes to Europe for next year's peak flying season.
Now, there's more to come — and it's good news for travelers with Italy on their mind.
Late next spring, the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier will launch new nonstop flights to Venice and Naples, two highly popular Italian vacation destinations.
American will also bump up the start date for two previously announced seasonal routes to Rome, upping its capacity to Italy to make summer 2025 its largest-ever season flying to the country.
Together, this new service will give travelers additional options for getting to Naples, claimed by some to be the birthplace of pizza, and Venice, with its iconic canals and world-famous hotels.
The thinking behidn boosting service to Italy was quite simple, suggested Brian Znotins, American's senior vice president of network and schedule planning, when speaking to TPG in an exclusive interview this week.
"Our expectations continue to be exceeded in Southern Europe," Znotins said.
It's not just American. The "Big Three" U.S. airlines (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines) will fly a staggering 54% more total seats to Italy in 2024 versus 2019, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
American's new Italy routes for 2025
American's two new summer seasonal Italy routes are as follows:
| Route | Start date | Aircraft type |
|---|---|---|
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Naples International Airport (NAP) in Italy | May 6 | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner |
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Italy | June 5 | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner |
Adding a Chicago connection to Naples will give Italy's third-largest city its second nonstop American flight — on top of existing service from Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, there's a bit of "addition by subtraction" in the new Dallas nonstop to Venice. American is shifting its seasonal summer Venice route from its existing Chicago origin to its large Texas hub, Znotins said, meaning Chicago travelers will have easier access to the Amalfi Coast than the banks of the Adriatic.
Earlier Italy service added
Additionally, American made two tweaks to its existing summer Italy flights. Its planned new seasonal nonstop from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) will begin June 5 instead of in July, as previously planned.
It will do the same with its second seasonal daily nonstop flight from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to FCO.
Tickets for all of these flights will enter American's booking channels Nov. 4.
Related: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard review: Complimentary Admirals Club membership
A silver lining in supply chain delays
Ironically, it's airline industry supply chain delays that made these new Italy flights possible for American, Znotins noted.
Last week, the carrier revealed a hang-up in retrofit plans for its four-cabin Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, the largest aircraft in its fleet.
Those 20 jets are slated for interior face-lifts, which include removing the Flagship First pods in favor of a higher total number of premium business-class seats.
But those plans are now delayed, American CEO Robert Isom revealed during the company's third-quarter earnings call last week. He cited backlogs at American's suppliers as the cause of the delay. The first Boeing 777-300ER now likely won't go in for a refit until the tail end of summer, Isom told analysts.
"We had planned to have a number of 777-300s in the hanger next summer," Znotins added to TPG. "With the delay happening now, those planes won't be in the hanger like they were supposed to be."
That means American can keep more of its 304-seat jets in service next summer, freeing up wide-body planes to fly customers across the Atlantic during the peak summer months.
So, in the meantime, the silver lining for customers is more service to Italy — and, of course, a bit longer life for the Flagship First cabin.
Related reading:
- Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
- Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
- American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- American Airlines basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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 | New! 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. |
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.
- New! 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.
- Updated! $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.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy 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.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- 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.