American Airlines is preparing for a significant expansion of its international services next summer, adding five new European routes and increasing its trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific capacity. The airline will resume flights to Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI) for the first time since 2019 and introduce new routes to popular European destinations, including Athens (ATH), Madrid (MAD), Milan (MXP), and Rome (FCO).

Brian Znotins, Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning at American Airlines, stated, “Resuming service to Edinburgh and adding new routes to other popular destinations across the continent will offer customers convenient access from American’s industry-leading domestic network to all that Europe has to offer.”

New European Routes

Beginning in 2025, American will operate more than 70 daily departures to over 20 trans-Atlantic destinations. The new routes, which will be available for purchase starting September 9, include:

• Charlotte (CLT) to Athens (ATH): Daily service beginning June 5, 2025, with a Boeing 777-200.
• Chicago (ORD) to Madrid (MAD): Daily service beginning March 30, 2025, with a Boeing 787-8.
• Miami (MIA) to Rome (FCO): Daily service beginning July 5, 2025, with a Boeing 777-200.
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Edinburgh (EDI): Daily service beginning May 23, 2025, with a Boeing 787-8.
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Milan (MXP): Daily service beginning May 23, 2025, with a Boeing 787-8.

These new routes will allow American Airlines to offer access to European destinations, with enhanced connections through its U.S. network.

Increased European Flights

American will extend existing seasonal services to several top European destinations. Travelers will have more options to explore iconic landmarks in cities such as Paris, France, and Barcelona, Spain:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Barcelona (BCN): Daily service starting March 30, 2025.
• Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG): Daily service extended into the summer.
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Athens (ATH): Daily service beginning March 30, 2025.
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Naples (NAP): Daily service starting May 5, 2025.

Expanded Capacity to Asia

American Airlines is also bolstering its services to Asia, offering more seats and upgraded aircraft on key routes to Tokyo and Shanghai. Starting next summer, larger aircraft will operate on routes from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) to Japan and China:

• DFW to Tokyo Haneda (HND): Daily service on Boeing 787-9.
• DFW to Tokyo Narita (NRT): Daily service on Boeing 777-200.
• DFW to Shanghai (PVG): Daily service on Boeing 787-9.
• LAX to Tokyo Haneda (HND): Twice-daily service on Boeing 787-9.

These enhancements come as American aims to strengthen its position in the competitive trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific markets, providing customers with expanded travel options and connections to key global destinations.

Analysis

Historically American Airlines is weak internationally when compared to United & Delta. Since the merger with U.S. Airways, American is more focused on expanding European flights from east coast hubs (Charlotte & Philadelphia) at the expense of legacy American hubs (Chicago, Dallas Ft. Worth). While planning a trip I was shocked to see how few European flights fly from Chicago or Dallas. So it’s unsurprising that Americans are starting new routes from PHL & CLT. However, I am excited to see new American flights from Chicago.

Overall this expansion seems uninspiring and not that creative for example one year American announced flights to Krakow Poland… In case your wondering no those flights to Poland did not return. This exapnsion is a modest boost in capacity, so I guess American needs more planes before they can expand more internationally. Fortunately, more planes are on the way American will fly the Airbus A321 XLR which should be able to fly transatlantic. I am curious to see where American deploys those.