Boeing delays force American Airlines to suspend 3 European routes, delay Flagship Suite
American Airlines cannot catch a break from Boeing’s production woes.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier will temporarily suspend three routes to Europe this summer and again push back the introduction of its new Flagship Suite business class as a result of the latest delivery delays plaguing the Boeing 787, an American spokesperson confirmed to TPG on Friday.
“As a result of ongoing Boeing 787 delivery delays, American is adjusting service on certain routes in summer 2025 to ensure we are able to reaccommodate customers on affected flights,” the spokesperson said. “We’ll be proactively reaching out to our impacted customers to offer alternate travel arrangements and remain committed to mitigating the impact of these Boeing delays while continuing to offer a comprehensive global network.”
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The three suspended transatlantic routes are:
- Miami International Airport (MIA) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) from May through July
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in June
- New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) in July
This is a well-trod path for American. Delays to 787 deliveries in late 2021 forced it to cut Edinburgh, Scotland; Hong Kong; and Shannon, Ireland, from its map the following year. Production challenges have continued to plague Boeing and forced additional cuts to long-haul flying at American in the years since.
American’s long-haul schedule is uniquely susceptible to Boeing delays compared to other airlines. During the coronavirus pandemic, American took advantage of the dramatic drop in international travel to accelerate plans to streamline its long-haul fleet and retired its Airbus A330 and Boeing 757 and 767 planes.
Now, the airline’s international expansion is limited by Boeing’s inability to hand over new 787s in a timely manner.
American was scheduled to receive 10 787-9s this year, its latest fleet plan from October shows.
The latest delivery delays also mean the introduction of American's new Flagship Suite business class is delayed again. CEO Robert Isom said Jan. 23 that the seats would begin flying this year but did not say when. The spokesperson would not specify when in 2025 the new product might debut.
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The Flagship Suite product is part of a larger overhaul of American’s premium offerings that also includes new premium economy seats. It will, however, mark the end of long-haul first class at American; the airline plans to remove Flagship First from its Boeing 777-300ER planes when they are refitted with the new Flagship Suite.
American’s first Airbus A321XLRs will also feature the Flagship Suite when deliveries begin later in 2025. These planes will initially fly on premium transcontinental flights between New York and both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Even with the schedule reductions, American will continue to serve all its European destinations, including Edinburgh via a new service, this summer. It will fly to Frankfurt from Charlotte; Madrid from Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Philadelphia; and Paris from Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Philadelphia, schedules from aviation analytics firm Cirium show.
American will also offer fewer frequencies on certain other routes this summer, including between Philadelphia and Rome, and Dallas and London.
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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
- 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.