American adds 3 regional routes, but cuts a new international flight
American Airlines is making some noteworthy network changes.
The Fort Worth-based carrier filed plans over the weekend to launch three new domestic routes, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
The routes include:
- Chicago to Bismarck, North Dakota
- Chicago to Boise, Idaho
- Phoenix to Appleton, Wisconsin
All three of the new routes will be operated by American Eagle affiliate Envoy Air on board an Embraer E175 regional jet. Flights to Bismarck and Boise will operate daily beginning June 5, 2025, while flights from Phoenix to Appleton will commence Feb. 15, 2025, but they'll only be operated on Saturdays.
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Interestingly, the new flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Appleton represents one of American's longest routes operated by a regional affiliate. At 1,463 miles, this roughly 3 1/2-hour flight might not be the most comfortable on board the E175 regional jet, especially since these jets are currently equipped with outdated air-to-ground Wi-Fi connectivity and limited entertainment options. (American will be retrofitting its regional jets with faster Wi-Fi in the coming months.)
Still, American's new Phoenix route from Appleton International Airport (ATW) will give some competition to ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air, which currently flies nonstop from ATW to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) — a secondary airport for metro Phoenix.
While new routes are always exciting, American is making a big change in Tulum, Mexico, where the airline will cease flying from Charlotte effective Feb. 13, 2025.
Tulum is one of American's newest destinations. The airline just started flying there in March after Tulum's international airport formally opened following years of construction.
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As soon as the airport's opening drew near, U.S. airlines rushed to start adding flights there. For its part, American added service to Tulum from three domestic destinations: Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami.
American has long been the biggest U.S. airline serving Latin America (largely thanks to its massive Miami hub), so it wasn't necessarily surprising that the airline added three routes to Tulum. (United Airlines is the largest U.S. carrier in Tulum, with four routes from domestic hubs.)
In a statement confirming the cut, an American Airlines spokesperson shared that "as part of a continuous evaluation of our network, American has made the difficult decision to discontinue service between Charlotte (CLT) and Tulum, Mexico (TQO). American will continue to offer service from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Miami (MIA) to TQO."
For American, service from Dallas and Miami should be enough to cover most travelers looking for one-stop itineraries heading to Tulum. Though Charlotte is the airline's second-biggest hub, American flyers can still connect via Miami from many of the same cities had the airline kept the Charlotte route.
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"I think the whole industry getting in there all at the same time was too much capacity to absorb all at once we need to get people more familiar with Tulum - there are plenty of people familiar with Tulum, but we had way more seats than people familiar with Tulum, so you’re seeing us and the whole industry scale back and take a step back a bit," said Brian Znotins, American's network chief, in a recent interview with TPG.
In other network news, American is making three notable changes to its Florida flying next summer. The airline will suspend several routes to the Sunshine State during what's typically the offseason for Florida travel. This includes Fort Lauderdale to Washington, D.C.; Miami to Westchester County north of New York City; and Key West to Chicago.
Related reading:
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- American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
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- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines
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- 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.
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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. |
| 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. |
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$325Recommended Credit
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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.