American Airlines adds 8 new Miami routes, 1 new international destination
American Airlines is turning up the heat in South Florida with a big network expansion.
The carrier, which operates a hub in Miami, will add eight new routes this winter, one of which will be a brand-new pin for the airline's route map.
Beginning Feb. 3, American will commence nonstop service to Governor’s Harbour in the Bahamas. Service will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and it'll technically represent a resumption for American. Cirium schedules show that the airline operated flights between the two airports in the winter of 2009.
In addition to the new international service, American is also boosting its domestic connectivity to and from Miami with the introduction of seven new routes, including flights from Miami to:
- Buffalo (Saturdays only from Nov. 11, 2023, to March 30, 2024)
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Saturdays only from Nov. 11, 2023, to March 30, 2024)
- Lexington, Kentucky (Saturdays only from Nov. 11, 2023, to March 30, 2024)
- Portland, Oregon (year-round daily service begins Nov. 5 — as previously reported)
- Sacramento (year-round daily service begins Dec. 20)
- Wichita (Saturdays only from Nov. 11, 2023, to March 30, 2024)
- Wilmington, North Carolina (Saturdays only from Nov. 11, 2023, to March 30, 2024)
Aside from the new routes, American will also increase frequencies on existing domestic and international flights, with the full list available at the bottom of this story.
All told, American will offer a whopping 380 peak daily departures this winter, making this the largest schedule the airline has ever offered from Miami. American's Miami operation covers 150 nonstop destinations, nearly half of which are located outside of the country.
Furthermore, American touts that it offers 85 unique destinations that are unserved by any other airline from Miami — a talking point that's more important than ever for American.
That's because, before the pandemic, Miami used to be a fortress hub for American. Nowadays, less so.
Miami International Airport (MIA) has seen some impressive growth in recent months from a host of airlines, but nothing comes close to what Spirit Airlines has brought to the market.
The ultra-low-cost carrier entered Miami for the first time in October 2021, and it brought low fares to 30 new nonstop destinations.
While Spirit now goes head-to-head against American on many routes, the airline is also up against some formidable competition from the nascent joint-venture partnership between Delta Air Lines and South American juggernaut LATAM.
Those two carriers officially combined forces in late 2019, pulling LATAM from American and the Oneworld alliance. Now that the tie-up has been approved by regulators, Delta and LATAM are well on their way to turning Miami into a gateway hub for access to Latin America — a region that American used to dominate.
Despite the increased competition, American is still by far the region's biggest carrier, a fact that Juan Carlos Liscano, American's vice president of Miami hub operations, repeated during an interview with TPG.
"We've been able to say we're Miami's hometown airline for quite some time, but in our 34-year history as a hub here in Miami, this will be our largest schedule ever," said Liscano.
To support all the growth, American has hired 2,000 new Miami-based employees, bringing its regional total to a whopping 14,300 employees — the most in the airline's history, Liscano shared.
In addition to flying locals living in Miami, American also wants to capitalize on the increased demand for travel to South Florida during the winter season, a trend that was especially pronounced during the pandemic when so many international destinations were closed.
While American Airlines may have Miami's largest air network, it no longer has the naming rights to the city's basketball arena, which is now called the Kaseya Center as part of a recently signed $117.4 million agreement.
Even though American didn't renew its naming rights, the airline is still making moves in the trade and commerce industries in Miami, Liscano said. After all, American is the only airline with 150 nonstop destinations from the airport.
"There are other ways to show the love for Miami and how we continue to demonstrate our commitment to both the growth and to Miami," he added.
16 routes with frequency increases
| Destination | Service notes | Flights operate |
|---|---|---|
Anguilla | Increase to two daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Barranquilla, Colombia | Increase to two daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Bridgetown, Barbados | Increase to three daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Cancun | Increase to six daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Cartagena, Colombia | Increase to three daily flights | Dec. 5-April 3 |
Denver | Increase to three daily flights | Dec. 20-April 3 |
Liberia | Increase to three daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Milwaukee | Increase to daily service | Dec. 20-April 3 |
Nashville | Increase to five daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Oklahoma City | Increase to daily service | Dec. 20-April 3 |
San Antonio | Increase to two daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
San Diego | Increase to two daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
San Jose | Increase to four daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Seattle | Increase to two daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
St. Maarten | Increase to three daily flights | Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
Tortola, British Virgin Islands | Increase to three peak-day flights | Saturdays; Dec. 20-Jan. 7 |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.