American Airlines will suspend all but 3 long-haul routes, park most wide-body jets
American Airlines will temporarily ground most of its wide-body fleet as it cuts the vast majority of its international long-haul flying amid the rapidly growing novel coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary fleet change will see the Oneworld alliance carrier send roughly 135 wide-bodies to storage from March 16 through at least May 6, American said late Saturday. The airline flew 150 such aircraft, including Airbus A330 and Boeing 767, 777 and 787 models, at the end of December.
American previously unveiled plans to retire its 767 fleet by May, and its Boeing 757 fleet by mid-2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The airline's fleet reduction comes as it slashes international capacity by 75% from March 16 through May 6. The move will see American suspend nearly all of its long-haul routes operated by wide-body jets to Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.
American plans to operate three long-haul routes during the March-May period: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to London Heathrow (LHR) and Tokyo Narita (NRT), and Miami (MIA) to London Heathrow.
American said its short-haul international flying to destinations in Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America and “certain markets in the northern part of South America” will continue “as scheduled,” at least for now.
The new cuts announced Saturday come as governments around the world restrict traveler arrivals in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 disease. U.S. authorities will expand European travel restrictions to Ireland and the UK beginning March 16.
Related: American accelerates Boeing 757, 767 retirements due to coronavirus
American will also reduce domestic U.S. capacity by 20% year-over-year in April, and 30% in May.
The reductions follow similar ones made by Delta Air Lines on Thursday. The Atlanta-based SkyTeam Alliance carrier will cut global capacity by 40% and park up to 300 jets, including both narrow-bodies and wide-bodies, as it sees demand plummet amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
"The speed of the demand fall-off is unlike anything we’ve seen – and we’ve seen a lot in our business," said Delta CEO Ed Bastian in an employee memo on the cuts.
Related: Delta slashes capacity, parks up to 300 jets amid ‘unprecedented’ coronavirus impact
United Airlines has yet to announce as sweeping of cuts as American and Delta. The Chicago-based carrier was the first U.S. airline to announce significant systemwide capacity cuts on March 4. United president Scott Kirby said on March 10 that the airline planned to extend an at least 20% system capacity cut beyond April through the summer.
The depth of the capacity cuts and fleet reductions at U.S. carriers is unlike anything they have seen before. The closest parallel is 9/11 in 2001, however most cuts were limited to about 20-25% of system capacity in the months immediately following the attacks.
In terms of fleet, airlines either parked or accelerated the retirement of many of their older jets after 9/11. The Boeing 727, Boeing 737-200 and Douglas DC-10 were among the aircraft types that disappeared sooner than they otherwise would have from U.S. fleets after the attacks.
Related: US airline execs warn coronavirus impact ‘could be worse than 9/11’ downturn
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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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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$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.