American Airlines adds 2 new destinations and 7 flights in latest route map shakeup
The mid-pandemic route map adjustments just keep coming.
The latest update is from American Airlines, which is adding two brand-new destinations to its network. The Fort Worth-based carrier confirmed to TPG that it will be launching its first-ever flights to Eureka, California (ACV) and Idaho Falls, Idaho (IDA) this summer.
American will fly once-daily to Eureka from its Phoenix hub, and twice-daily to Idaho Falls — one route from Dallas/Fort Worth and another from Phoenix.
The new service will operate year-round beginning on June 3 with a dual-class CRJ-700, with the full schedules below. Flights will be loaded to the schedule over the weekend and will be available to book beginning on Saturday, Feb. 13.
In addition to the two new pins on its route map, American will boost service to four existing cities, as it focuses on pivoting to places where people want to go during the pandemic.
Specifically, the carrier is launching new seasonal service from both its Los Angeles (LAX) and Phoenix (PHX) hubs, as follows:
- Los Angeles (LAX) - Durango, Colorado (DRO)
- Los Angeles (LAX) - Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT)
- Los Angeles (LAX) - Missoula, Montana (MSO)
- Phoenix (PHX) - Bozeman, Montana (BZN)
The Grand Junction flight will operate once-weekly on Saturdays, while the others will be flown daily. All four new flights will operate during the summer season from June 3 through Aug. 16.
American Eagle partner Skywest Airlines will fly all the new routes, except for PHX - BZN, which will be operated by Mesa Airlines. The three Los Angeles flights will be flown on the CRJ-700, and the Bozeman connection will be flown by a larger CRJ-900.
More: American Airlines unveils major Miami expansion, another new route to Tel Aviv
American's latest network expansion is clearly focused on outdoor-friendly destinations. As pandemic-weary travelers look for trips with built-in social distancing, California's redwood forest and Idaho's abundant nature trails quickly climb to the top of the list.
Additionally, boosting flights to cities in Colorado and Montana increases the number of one-stop itineraries American can offer travelers to airports located near national parks and other warm-weather activities.
Despite the pandemic, airports such as Bozeman and Grand Junction are getting more popular at the expense of ones in key business markets, like New York and Chicago. In fact, Cirium schedules show that domestic airlines are planning nearly a quarter more flights to Bozeman and 20% more flights to Grand Junction in June 2021 relative to June 2019.
Friday's news comes on the heels of another major network shake-up at American. Earlier in the week, the carrier announced a sweeping expansion at its Miami hub, adding two new routes to Tel Aviv and Suriname, as well as boosting flights to a host of cities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In addition to expanding internationally, American's vice president of network planning, Brian Znotins, told TPG that "we are still boosting our domestic point-to-point flying to places with mountains and beaches. Our business hubs remain weak and that frees up airplanes to go and invest in traffic segments that aren't as weak."
In recent months, American's domestic expansion has largely focused on destinations in the southeast, like Daytona Beach, Hilton Head Island and Key West. But with the summer on its way, some travelers will likely try to steer clear of the high temperatures and intense humidity in Florida, in favor of the more moderate climate in the mountains.
Schedule of new routes:
| Origin | Departure time | Destination | Arrival time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DFW | 10:55 a.m. | IDA | 12:55 p.m. | Year-round Daily |
IDA | 1:30 p.m. | DFW | 5:25 p.m. | Year-round Daily |
PHX | 1:25 p.m. | IDA | 4:30 p.m. | Year-round Daily |
IDA | 5:15 p.m. | PHX | 6:20 p.m. | Year-round Daily |
PHX | 10:55 a.m. | ACV | 1:25 p.m. | Year-round Daily |
ACV | 1:55 p.m. | PHX | 4:20 p.m. | Year-round Daily |
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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
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- 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.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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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
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.