American cuts NYC long-haul route just days before Northeast Alliance trial begins
American Airlines promised big growth in the Northeast as part of its tie-up with JetBlue Airways, but one new long-haul route isn't living up to expectations.
Over the weekend, the Fort Worth-based carrier filed plans to cut service between New York and Santiago, Chile, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson. The 5,097-mile route will end on Jan. 4, 2023.
American first launched service between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) in July 2021 with a three-times-weekly frequency. The carrier was planning to upgrade the route to daily service in November 2021, but that plan never came to fruition due to weak demand.
Instead, it continued offering three weekly flights between the two cities, available for purchase through the end of the schedule in August 2023. Aside from connecting the local New York market with Santiago, American planned to use the expanded domestic connectivity unlocked by the Northeast Alliance with JetBlue to offer plenty of convenient one-stop options for flyers headed to and from the Chilean capital.
In a statement confirming the move, a carrier spokesperson shared that:
American Airlines is discontinuing service between New York (JFK) and Santiago, Chile (SCL), effective Jan. 4, 2023, as the route is not meeting performance expectations. American remains committed to Chile, home to more than 200 of our locally based team members, and will continue serving SCL with existing daily service from Miami (MIA) and daily service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) resuming Oct. 29. We're proactively reaching out to customers scheduled to travel on affected dates to offer alternative travel arrangements.
American is proud to offer more flights to Chile than any U.S. carrier, operating up to three peak daily flights between the U.S. and SCL this fall.
The additional feed for long-haul flights was a big selling point of the partnership with JetBlue. In 2021, American successfully launched several other long-haul routes from New York, including services to Athens, New Delhi and Tel Aviv — all of which are scheduled to continue operating. Both carriers have also added a slew of new routes, expanded codeshares and a range of reciprocal frequent flyer perks as part of the pact.
That said, the timing of American's latest network adjustment comes at an awkward time for the carrier as it goes up against a Department of Justice anti-trust lawsuit that's scheduled to get its day in court beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 27.
American and JetBlue announced their alliance back in July 2020, saying it would allow them to better compete against Delta and United by codesharing on some routes and offering reciprocal frequent flyer benefits. In New York, Delta and United are entrenched as dominant players at the city's capacity-controlled airports. American and JetBlue say their alliance allows them to compete at scale there, where expansion is hindered by the government's slot and capacity restrictions.
The alliance received approval in the final days of the Trump Administration after the airlines agreed to forfeit several slots in New York and Washington and to avoid coordinating fares or revenue management. However, questions about whether the tie-up violated anti-trust regulations remained and became even more prominent after a Biden Administration executive order in July 2021 calling for increased competition in the airline industry, among others.
That culminated in the September 2021 DOJ lawsuit that's finally getting its day in court on Tuesday. Despite the Santiago cut, the carriers continue to operate a number of new domestic and international routes that were added under the Northeast Alliance, which presumably will be a point the airlines argue as the case goes to court.
As for Santiago, American will continue offering flights from Miami and Dallas/Fort Worth. Travelers from New York can connect in either city for one-stop service to Chile.
Going forward, Chile's flag carrier, LATAM, formerly of the Oneworld alliance and now a Delta partner, will be the sole airline connecting New York with Santiago with daily flights.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.