United is pulling out of 2 more US cities, ending service on long-time California route
The news isn't getting any better for small U.S. cities, which continue to bear the brunt of airline network changes.
The latest move comes from United Airlines, which filed plans over the weekend to discontinue serving Flagstaff, Arizona (FLG), and Texarkana, Arkansas (TXK) this fall, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by the carrier.
United will cease flying between Houston (IAH) and Texarkana on Sept. 6, followed a few weeks later when flights between Denver (DEN) and Flagstaff (FLG) end on Oct. 30. When the carrier cuts these routes, it'll mark the end of United service to both cities.
Additionally, United will stop flying between Los Angeles (LAX) and San Diego (SAN) as of Oct. 30. Unlike Flagstaff and Texarkana, San Diego will continue to be served from several United hubs, including Denver, Newark (EWR), Washington/Dulles (IAD), Houston, Chicago (ORD) and San Francisco (SFO).
A United spokesperson didn't have many details to share about the cuts, but confirmed the move with the following statement:
We’ve made the difficult decision to suspend service to two cities this fall — Flagstaff and Texarkana — and have already started working with customers on alternate plans.
Perhaps the most interesting cut is Texarkana, which was essentially an experiment for United. The airline's regional affiliate CommutAir began serving the city on Feb. 13, 2022, with once-daily flights to Houston aboard the 50-seat Embraer 145.
The local airport authority received $884,722 in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development Program to fund this new service.
United entered into a one-year contract to see if the flights will work, with the grant guaranteeing revenues to keep serving the airport during the first year, even if passenger counts are low.
Well, the airline likely didn't see enough demand to keep flying the route, which will leave the city served by American Airlines with its (up to) four daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).
Meanwhile, when United's service to Flagstaff Pulliam Airport ends, the airline's travelers will no longer have convenient access to the Grand Canyon National Park. This regional airport, which will continue to be served by American from DFW and Phoenix (PHX), is the closest one to the major tourist attraction (that's served by legacy carriers).
As for San Diego, United has flown the route from L.A. consistently for at least the past 40 years. The airline used the short, 109-mile flight to feed connections to and from San Diego through its hub at Los Angeles International Airport to cities across the country, as well as to international long-haul service.
United travelers based in San Diego will now need to either connect in San Francisco or Houston for transpacific flights or fly to hubs further east to get to cities in Europe. Alternatively, they could drive to Los Angeles, which takes about two hours, but is subject to highway traffic.
While demand for flights to and from these small cities may indeed be weak, the move comes as the nationwide pilot shortage continues to have an outsized effect on regional networks for the major U.S. carriers.
Just last month, American filed plans to drop four U.S. cities and cut three routes in a big network adjustment, after announcing plans to park about 100 regional aircraft due to the pilot shortage. Delta Air Lines also dropped three small cities earlier this year due to the “ongoing travel demand impact from the pandemic.”
And this isn't United's first time cutting small cities, either. Late last year, the carrier announced that it would end service to 10 smaller cities, declaring operations in those markets unsustainable with 50-seat regional jets.
Regional giant SkyWest Airlines even filed plans to drop 29 cities because of the pilot storage. These cuts represent most of SkyWest’s Essential Air Service (EAS) flying.
EAS is the federal government’s program that subsidizes air service to small communities where service might not otherwise be viable. Contracts are bid on by different carriers and awarded by the DOT, which administers the EAS program.
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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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- 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.