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American Airlines has been trying to evolve, improve the passenger experience, and add routes. This week, I wrote about its new snacks and tea service test, massive investment in a new terminal at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and route additions from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Now, American is tweaking the schedule at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) by cutting seven routes, adding four, and increasing the frequency on many others.
The airline retreated from New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and New York John F Kennedy Airport (JFK) over the past several years. Its now dissolved Northeast Alliance with JetBlue filled some gaps, but American is still the weakest in NYC when compared with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
New and Returning Routes
American will add four routes to its network in September. These include three that it has not flown and the return to Delta’s megahub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). This route has not been flown since 2023.
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (6x daily; starts on September 3rd)
- Charleston International Airport (CHS) (2x to 3x daily; starts on September 3rd)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) (2x daily; starts on November 2nd)
- Madison’s Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) (1x daily; starts on September 3rd)
Routes With Increased Frequency
In addition to the new flights, American will bump up the number offered on
- Burlington’s Patrick Leahy International Airport (BTV) (increases to 3x weekly from September 3rd to April 5th)
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) (increases to 2x daily on September 3rd)
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) (increases to 5x daily on September 3rd)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) (increases to 4x daily on September 3rd)
- Greensboro’s Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) (increases to 4x daily on September 3rd)
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND) (increases to 5x daily on September 3rd)
- Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) (increases to 3x daily on September 3rd)
- Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) (increases to 5x daily on September 3rd)
- Tulsa International Airport (TUL) (increases to 2x daily on September 3rd)
Routes Getting Chopped
With all of these additions, there needs to be some routes cut. The following seven are getting the axe this fall:
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
- Dayton International Airport (DAY)
- Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)
- Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Omaha’s Eppley Airfield (OMA)
- Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
During American’s earnings call, Steve Johnson, American’s Chief Strategy Officer, shared:
In New York, we have a large and loyal customer base, significant AAdvantage® penetration, significant co-brand [credit card] penetration, and we’re excited about the evolving position that we’re creating. LaGuardia will be the largest, I think, operation that we’ve had in history. We’ve optimized it, we think, for our New York customers.”
Anthony’s Take: American retreated and does not have the presence it once did. This will be an uphill battle against Delta, JetBlue, United, and even Spirit and Frontier. It’s one that I do not think American will win, place, or show in the near future.
(Image Credits: American Airlines.)
(H/T: The Points Guy.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
2 comments
Awesome news to see ATL-LGA return!! So happy.
Odd. The TYS-LGA flights were always packed and there’s only one competitor that flies the route. The perils of living in a tertiary city I suppose.