American adds 30 flights from Phoenix in confidence boost for legacy hub
American Airlines is (finally) showing some love to its hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
Beginning in November, the carrier is adding 30 daily departures from PHX for the winter season. This includes a brand-new daily route from PHX to Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), which will commence Nov. 5. Jacksonville will become the airline's fourth nonstop destination from Phoenix in Florida, joining Miami, Orlando and Tampa.
American will deploy an Airbus A320 on the new route to Jacksonville, which also happens to be the first route from Phoenix to this Florida city.
Additionally, American will resume regional jet service from PHX to Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) on Nov. 5. This flight, operated by American Eagle subsidiary SkyWest Airlines, will operate on a CRJ-700 on a daily, year-round basis.
All told, the airline will offer more than 12% additional daily flights compared to last winter, making it one of the largest winter schedules American has offered from Phoenix in nearly a decade.
That's great news for Phoenix, which hasn't necessarily seen as much growth as some other American Airlines hubs, such as Charlotte and Dallas-Fort Worth.
American inherited the Phoenix hub from Tempe, Arizona-based US Airways during the merger in 2015, and many analysts consider it the weakest link in the network (behind Philadelphia).
It's clear that local authorities are excited about American's expansion, something that the airport has likely lobbied for over the past few years.
“American’s announcement of their largest winter schedule in nearly a decade is wonderful news, and it really speaks to their continued confidence in the Phoenix market. American is an essential business partner, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their continued growth and investment in Phoenix," Chad Makovsky, director of aviation services for the City of Phoenix aviation department, said in a statement.
These days, Charlotte and Dallas-Fort Worth seem to get all the attention from American, as the airline keeps expanding in these fortress hubs. In fact, earlier this month, the airline shared plans to grow its Charlotte operation to 800 daily departures. (For context, Phoenix will have, on average, 263 daily departures this winter.)
Boosting service from Phoenix in the winter seemingly makes sense, even if the additional flights aren't necessarily about funneling connections through the Valley of the Sun. That's because Phoenix is a popular destination in the winter due to its mild temperatures and abundant sunshine.
These latest additions join the recently launched service from Phoenix to Monterrey, Mexico, which took off in January.
American also faces competition in Phoenix from Southwest Airlines, which considers the airport one of its operating bases. As such, some of this growth might be designed as a competitive response to the Dallas-based carrier.
American's winter additions from Phoenix
American will add one additional daily flight between Phoenix and the following 27 cities this winter season.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Boise
- Boston
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Des Moines
- Fresno, California
- Houston
- Jacksonville
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Las Vegas
- Medford, Oregon
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- New York
- Orlando
- Redmond, Oregon
- Sacramento
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose, California
- Santa Barbara, California
- Santa Rosa, California
- Spokane, Washington
- St. Louis
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Wichita, Kansas
The airline is also adding three daily flights from Phoenix to Tucson, going from six to nine daily flights during the winter peak season.
That said, the airline is pulling down one daily frequency in four markets this winter — Burbank, California; Detroit; Seattle; and Tampa.
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| 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. |
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Why We Chose It
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
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 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.