American unveils new long-haul routes, including service to Australia and Brazil
American Airlines is gearing up to send winter-weary travelers to warmer pastures.
The Fort Worth-based carrier announced on Thursday its new routes for the upcoming winter season. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they are focused on taking flyers to warm-weather destinations.
As part of the news, American is adding its first-ever route from its Dallas-Fort Worth megahub to Brisbane, Australia, as well as new and expanded service to Brazil, Hawaii and more.
You'll catch all the details below, and all new flights will become available for purchase as of Feb. 5.
American's Dallas to Brisbane route
Later this year, American will launch its first-ever nonstop route connecting Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Brisbane Airport (BNE).
Daily service will commence on Oct. 27, and this new route will operate seasonally throughout the winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
At 8,303 miles, this route will become the longest in the airline's network, giving it somewhat of a flagship status.
Speaking of flagship status, American confirmed that this new route will exclusively be served by the airline's newly designed Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that will feature the new Flagship Suites and premium economy products.
These jets will feature 51 Flagship Suites and 32 premium economy recliners, giving this route a big proportion of premium seats. (Perhaps that will make it easier to score a good mileage redemption or some confirmed upgrades.)
American is expected to debut this new configuration on upcoming Dreamliner deliveries later this year.
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This new American route will complement the airline's existing tie-up with Qantas, giving flyers between the U.S. and Australia one-stop connections to more than 200 destinations across the U.S. and nearly 70 destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. (Qantas used to fly between Dallas and Brisbane between May 2011 and September 2014, Cirium schedules show.)
Interestingly, this new route comes just about two years after United Airlines launched service between San Francisco and Brisbane and a year after the airline added Los Angeles to Brisbane service.
Perhaps American is feeling the competitive pressure from United, as the latter carrier seeks to expand its presence Down Under.
In fact, American will also resume seasonal service between LA and Auckland earlier than originally planned.
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Originally, American planned to resume service on Dec. 18, but now the airline will move that date forward to Dec. 5.
American's Dallas-to-Rio de Janeiro route
American is also boosting its presence in Brazil by adding service to Rio de Janeiro from Dallas-Fort Worth.
The airline will commence this daily seasonal service on Oct. 27. The airline will deploy a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on this route, featuring 20 business-class lie-flat seats, 28 premium economy recliners, 48 Main Cabin Extra extra-legroom economy seats and 138 standard economy seats.
Though American is marketing this as a new route, the airline last flew between DFW and Rio in 2018, Cirium schedules show.
In addition to this "new" route, American will expand its New York to Rio service to daily service beginning on Oct. 27.
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Once the DFW route launches, American will service Rio from three U.S. gateways on up to four daily flights. The airline has long had a stronghold on the Brazil market among the U.S. airlines; this winter, American will offer more daily flights to Rio than all other domestic carriers combined.
American's expanded Hawaii service
American will also boost its portfolio of Hawaii routes this winter by resuming flights between DFW and Kona on Hawaii's Big Island.
This 3,724-mile route last operated in the 2021 winter season, according to Cirium schedules, so this returning service should give travelers based in and around DFW many more one-stop options for getting to paradise.
The resuming Kona service commences on Oct. 27, and it will operate daily on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
American is also adding a second daily flight between DFW and Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG) for the peak holiday period, between Dec. 19, 2024, and Jan. 6, 2025.
American's new short-haul routes
Though much of American's expansion is focused on new and returning winter routes, the airline is also showing some love to its short-haul network.
The airline is opening a new destination in Veracruz, Mexico, with the launch of daily flights from DFW on June 12, 2024. American Eagle will operate the route using an Embraer E175.
American last flew to Veracruz over a decade ago, Cirium schedules show. American won't be the only U.S. airline flying to Veracruz; United Airlines already operates daily flights there from Houston.
American will also add a second-weekly flight from DFW to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands; Providenciales in Turks and Caicos; and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands beginning on June 8. This should give flyers more options for getting to the Caribbean this summer.
Bottom line
American's network is growing with three new flights and seven expanded services on existing routes.
Interestingly, much of this growth originates at the airline's Dallas-Fort Worth megahub, where the airline aims to eventually reach more than 1,000 daily flights.
Both Brisbane and Veracruz will be destinations exclusive to DFW, giving flyers more reason to connect through American's hub there.
Of course, travelers on the coasts might be disappointed to see American seemingly forgo expanding close to them in favor of the Sun Belt, but at least more options are better than fewer.
"American is thrilled to grow our international network to give customers more ways to escape the cold next winter," Brian Znotins, American's senior vice president of network and schedule planning, said in a statement.
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