American Airlines to launch 20 new routes next summer

American Airlines plans to launch an additional eight domestic routes next summer, offering customers a total of 20 new seasonal routes.

The new routes include routes to Martha’s Vineyard (MVY) and Nantucket (ACK) in Massachusetts, as well as new services from Jackson, Mississippi (JAN) and Des Moines, Iowa (DSM) to Miami (MIA), the airline’s gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Every year, we evaluate our network and look to create more routes and serve unique destinations whether we’re entering new markets like Casablanca or adding more service to places like Traverse City, Michigan,” said Vasu Raja, American senior vice president of network strategy.

“We continue to deliver the best network with the most options for our customers domestically and internationally during the most popular vacation time of the year.”

Beginning in June, American will add two new ways to get to the lighthouses and sandy beaches of Martha’s Vineyard from two connecting hubs on the east coast - Philadelphia (PHL) and Charlotte (CLT).

The airline will also introduce a new route to the cobblestone streets of Nantucket with Saturday service from PHL.

All three flights will be operated on an Embraer 175, featuring 12 first class seats and 64 main cabin seats.

Next summer, Traverse City (TVC) will see direct service from PHL and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), giving customers access to the shores of Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay every Saturday.

The airline will also introduce new Saturday service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Portland, Maine (PWM) operated on an Airbus A319 aircraft.

MIA is American’s gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, and, next summer, customers flying from JAN and DSM will have nonstop service to MIA on Saturday and Sunday from June through August.

Flight times will complement one-stop connections to vacation favourites like Bonaire, St. Vincent, and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

American previously announced seasonal service to National Parks in Kalispell (FCA) and Bozeman (BZN), Montana, and increased service to Alaska, including a new destination, Fairbanks (FAI), which will begin operating in May.

In August, American announced an international expansion that includes entering Africa for the first time with service to Casablanca, Morocco (CMN), from PHL and seasonal service from Chicago (ORD) to Krakow, Poland (KRK); Prague, Czech Republic (PRG); and Budapest, Hungary (BUD).

American will be the only US carrier providing service to KRK, BUD and PRG from ORD.

“Our future is bright, and we see summer 2020 as an opportunity for growth in the leisure destinations our customers truly value,” Raja continued.

“We have 20 new seasonal routes to choose from — narrowing down where to go will be the hardest part.”

New flights will be available for purchase from Monday.