We know winter has barely started, and we’re only just getting cozy in our homes as we impatiently wait for the holidays, but there’s enough reasons already to look forward to July 2023. Months ahead of time, American Airlines (AA) has unveiled its long-awaited summer schedule, which includes the relaunch of 7 popular long haul routes.
After two years of border closures, the world has finally reopened for tourism. Understandably, demand for international travel, especially among Americans, has skyrocketed. As a result, flights that had been suspended in the early days of Covid, or even prior to the health crisis, are finally making a comeback:
The Complete List Of Resumptions
It’s been a busy year for American Airlines, as the carrier undergoes profound changes and tries to adjust to the new market dynamics. Besides reforming its First Class, and ordering 20 supersonic jets for shorter Transatlantic flights, the carrier is now reinstating service to highly sought-after destinations abroad.
In total, 7 flight routes are relaunching in time for summer 2023, some of which for the first time in three or more years:
- Charlotte, NC (CLT) – Paris, France (CDG), last operated summer 2019
- Charlotte, NC (CLT) – Frankfurt, Germany (FRA), last operated summer 2021
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (DFW) – Santiago de Chile, Chile (SCL), last operated summer 2021
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (DFW) – Tokyo, Japan (HND), last operated summer 2020
- Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Tokyo, Japan (HND), last operated summer 2020
- Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Sydney, Australia (SYD), last operated summer 2021
- Seattle, WA (SEA) – London, United Kingdom (LHR), last operated summer 2021
To book any of these routes you can check prices here
American Airlines Is Rebuilding Network Following Covid
Out of those, four routes are already operational this winter, as seen on flight tracker Cirium. The remaining two, namely Charlotte to Paris, and Dallas-Forth Worth to Tokyo, are scheduled to resume from June. It’s been a long time coming: France and Japan are both tourism powerhouses, having drawn tens of millions of annual tourists in the pre-pandemic era.
Their numbers decreased drastically between 2020 and early 2022, mostly due to strict border controls and, in Japan’s and Australia’s case, an outright ban on all international travel. Interestingly, all other destinations on the list enacted pretty stringent rules rules that were only loosened in recent months.
During 2020 and well into 2021, the U.K. went through successive lockdowns and other curbs on social life and tourism, before finally reopening fully in early 2022. In line with the U.K. and the rest of Europe, Germany severely restricted travel as well, blocking the entry of non-immunized individuals until June 2022.
Naturally, American Airlines was forced to withdraw from these hubs until so,e sense of normality was achieved. Still, revitalizing services to Paris, Tokyo, Santiago, Chile, London, and Germany’s mega-hub of Frankfurt remained crucial for the rebuilding of American Airlines’ network, which had shrunk considerably in the wake of Covid.
With the exception of Chile, all of the above destinations have since lifted all restrictions. Japan is the latest to have done so in early October, in a move that prompted several airlines to resume Tokyo flights, American included. Traveling to six out of the seven countries, U.S. citizens are exempt from disclosing vaccination status or undergoing testing.
New Domestic Routes Launching
On top of relaunching these long-haul operations, the carrier announced further expansion with a slew of new domestic flights from its La Guardia base in New York. Starting May 2023, customers will enjoy new direct links to Birmingham, Alabama (BH), Buffalo, New York (BUF), Grand Rapids, Michigan (GRR), and many more.
Lastly, 4 other routes are getting a frequency boost beginning in April:
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (DFW) – Paris, France (CDG)
- Dallas-Forth Worth, TX (DFW) – Rome, Italy (FCO)
- Miami, FL (MIA) – London, United Kingdom (LHR)
- Miami, FL (MIA) – Sao Paulo, Brazil (GRU)
They are yet confirmed how many more flights are being added, but it’s definitely going to be a busy summer for AA as it re-enters the competition in some of the world’s most profitable markets. You can find more information about the updated schedule and fares for any of the routes already launched on the company’s official website.
