American Airlines will significantly expand its network in 2026 with 15 new routes, the airline has announced. Seven of these new routes are from Phoenix, three from Chicago and two each from Boston and Dallas. The airline will also introduce new routes from Charlotte and Miami.
Strengthening domestic network
American Airlines is looking to expand its domestic network through these new routes.
The airline is also bullish on its Chicago hub with plans for over 500 daily departures from Chicago (ORD) next summer and an added service to more than 25 destinations. The Airline plans to grow its overall Chicago network to more than 180 destinations, with the addition of service to Erie, Pennsylvania (ERI); Lincoln, Nebraska (LNK); and Tri-Cities, Tennessee (TRI).
“We’re furthering our commitment with new routes designed to help customers realise their travel goals in 2026 from important hubs such as Chicago and Phoenix,” said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning.
“With new routes from places like Lincoln, Nebraska; Abilene, Texas; Columbia, Missouri; and more, we’re providing local residents one-stop access to seal business deals, take a dream vacation with friends or family and enjoy soccer matches on the global stage.”
The airline will also expand its seasonal routes, extending services to Santa Fe, New Mexico (SAF) and Key West, Florida (EYW) into the summer between May 21 and Sept. 8.
Separately, American Airlines will also expand summer service from ORD to Hilton Head, South Carolina (HHH), and to Pensacola (PNS) and Panama City (ECP) in Florida, offering daily flights instead of weekend-only flights between February 12 and September 8, 2026.
Beyond Chicago, the airline is also expanding its presence in the Western U.S. through its Phoenix (PHX) hub with seven new routes. This includes new routes to Bozeman, Montana (BZN); Kalispell, Montana (FCA); and Rapid City, South Dakota (RAP), improving accessibility for travellers from states such as California, Nevada and Arizona. It is also adding new flights to Abilene (ABI) and McAllen (MFE) in Texas.
Here is a breakdown of all 15 new routes:
| Route | Aircraft type | Service dates | Frequency |
| Boston (BOS) to Madison, Wisconsin (MSN) | Embraer 175 | June 18, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| BOS to Nantucket, Massachusetts (ACK) | E175 | June 18, 2026 to Sep. 8, 2026 | Once daily |
| Charlotte (CLT) to Columbia, Missouri (COU) | E175 | June 4, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| Chicago (ORD) to Erie, Pennsylvania (ERI) | Bombardier CRJ-700 | May 21, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| ORD to Lincoln, Nebraska (LNK) | CRJ-700 | June 4, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| ORD to Tri-Cities, Tennessee (TRI) | Embraer 170 | May 21, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to LNK | CRJ-700 | June 4, 2026 ( Year-round) | Twice daily |
| DFW to Roanoke, Virginia (ROA) | Bombardier CRJ-900 | June 4, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| Miami (MIA) to Jackson, Mississippi (JAN) | E175 | March 14, 2026 to Aug. 1, 2026 | Once weekly on Saturdays |
| Phoenix (PHX) to Abilene, Texas (ABI) | E175 | June 4, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| PHX to Anchorage, Alaska (ANC) | Airbus A321neo | May 21, 2026 to Sept. 8, 2026 | Once daily |
| PHX to Bozeman, Montana (BZN) | E175 | June 4, 2026 to Sept. 8, 2026 | Once daily |
| PHX to Kalispell, Montana (FCA) | CRJ-700 | June 19, 2026 to Sept. 6, 2026 | Twice weekly |
| PHX to LNK | CRJ-700 | Winter 2026 (Seasonal) | Once daily |
| PHX to McAllen, Texas (MFE) | E175 | June 4, 2026 ( Year-round) | Once daily |
| PHX to Rapid City, South Dakota (RAP) | E175 | June 4, 2026 to Oct. 4, 2026 | Once daily |
American Arilines Airbus A321XLR © American Airlines
Boosting global connectivity
American Airlines will introduce its 240th destination in the U.S.: Lincoln, Nebraska (LNK), beginning June 4, 2026. Passengers from LNK will also be able to access one-stop service to international destinations such as Athens, Greece (ATH); Cancun, Mexico (CUN); Rome (FCO) and Sao Paulo (GRU).
The airline on Friday flew its first inaugural flight on its new Airbus A321XLR between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). It is set to debut its new route between JFK and Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI) on the XLR on March 8, 2026.
American Airlines flies to over 350 destinations around the globe, and together with its partners, customers can access more than 1,000 destinations.
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