American Airlines is preparing to cater to winter-weary travelers by introducing new routes to warm-weather destinations. The airline recently announced its plans for the upcoming winter season, which include its first-ever route from Dallas-Fort Worth to Brisbane, Australia, as well as expanded service to Brazil, Hawaii, and more.
Starting on October 27, American will launch daily nonstop service between Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Brisbane Airport (BNE). This route will operate seasonally throughout the winter and will become the longest in American’s network, covering a distance of 8,303 miles. The airline will exclusively operate this route using its newly designed Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, featuring the new Flagship Suites and premium economy products. With 51 Flagship Suites and 32 premium economy recliners, this route will have a significant number of premium seats.
This new route will complement American’s existing partnership with Qantas, allowing travelers between the U.S. and Australia to have one-stop connections to over 200 destinations in the U.S. and nearly 70 destinations in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Interestingly, this route comes after United Airlines launched service between San Francisco and Brisbane two years ago, followed by Los Angeles to Brisbane service last year. American’s decision to enter this route could be influenced by the competitive pressure from United.
In addition to the Dallas to Brisbane route, American is also expanding its presence in Brazil by adding seasonal service to Rio de Janeiro from Dallas-Fort Worth. The airline will deploy a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on this route, featuring business-class lie-flat seats, premium economy recliners, Main Cabin Extra extra-legroom economy seats, and standard economy seats. American will also expand its New York to Rio service to daily service. With these additions, American will offer more daily flights to Rio than all other U.S. carriers combined.
American is also boosting its portfolio of Hawaii routes by resuming flights between Dallas-Fort Worth and Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island. This service will operate daily on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The airline is also adding a second daily flight between Dallas-Fort Worth and Maui’s Kahului Airport for the peak holiday period.
Furthermore, American is expanding its short-haul network by opening a new destination in Veracruz, Mexico, with daily flights from Dallas-Fort Worth starting in June 2024. The airline will also add additional flights to Grand Cayman, Providenciales, and St. Thomas.
Overall, American Airlines’ winter season plans include three new flights and expanded services on existing routes. These additions primarily focus on warm-weather destinations, with a particular emphasis on American’s Dallas-Fort Worth megahub. The airline aims to eventually reach over 1,000 daily flights from this hub. While travelers on the coasts may be disappointed by the lack of expansion in their regions, American’s growth in the Sun Belt region provides more options for travelers seeking warm-weather destinations during the winter months.