American returns routes to destinations in Europe and Asia

• American Airlines is re-establishing 13 routes on its international network as it prepares for strong demand to Europe.
• The carrier also had to abandon five markets due to delays in Boeing Dreamliner deliveries.
• In addition to the return of service, American is launching brand new routes to Doha, Qatar and Tel Aviv.

American Airlines is expanding its international network with more than a dozen return routes in 2022.

The Dallas-based American will resume 13 international routes next year from its hubs in Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas / Fort Worth, Charlotte, Phoenix and New York, the airline told Insider. The routes are primarily to Europe – although one will go to Asia – and have not flown since 2019 or ceased during the onset of the pandemic.

“We anticipate that summer 2022 will likely be the most requested summer in Europe that we have seen as an industry,” US vice president of network planning Brian Znontins told Insider. “People who postpone their trip for a few years now are finally eager to go to Rome or Paris wherever they want. So not only do we have the normal level of demand for these markets, adds two years of high demand compared to years past and we expect the planes to be quite full this summer. “

While the expansion provides more options for travelers, the airline has also been forced to cut routes for next summer due to delays in aircraft deliveries.

On Thursday, American revealed in a memo seen by Insider that up to 13 Dreamliner planes that were slated to be in its fleet by winter 2021 will not be delivered on time due to Boeing delays. The aircraft manufacturer encountered quality control issues forcing it to suspend deliveries of the 787 in October 2020, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Due to the delays, American will cut five international markets next summer, including Edinburgh, Scotland; Shannon Ireland; Prague, Czech Republic; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Hong Kong.

According to Znontins, the carrier’s widebody capacity will be at 80% of its 2019 levels for the summer of 2022, as much as its fleet will allow it to fly.

“We are so disappointed with Boeing right now because they are not delivering the planes they promised, and if they did, we would be flying even more to Europe than in our current schedule,” Znontins said. to Insider.

In addition, American will reduce frequencies to Beijing and Shanghai in China and Sydney, Australia. Znontins told Insider the company is having issues with the Chinese government.

“They [the Chinese government] currently only let us fly twice a week to China, which is well below bilateral negotiations between US and Chinese permits, ”Znontins told Insider. “We don’t see that changing anytime soon, so we have adjusted our schedules accordingly to give our passengers a little more confidence in the flights they book.”

Overall, demand to Asia is also slow to pick up and Znontins doesn’t expect it to return for another year or two.

Despite the setbacks, American is launching two brand new routes to the Middle East, including to Doha, Qatar from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and to Tel Aviv, Israel, from Dallas / Fort Worth.

Here is an overview of the 13 international routes returned by American:

Between Philadelphia and Barcelona

Alexandre Spatari / Getty Images

American is re-establishing daily service between Philadelphia and Barcelona from March 27 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will not face any competition.

Between Chicago and Barcelona

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American is re-establishing daily service between Chicago and Barcelona from May 7 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier will be the only competitor.

Between Chicago and Paris

Taylor Rains / Insider

American is restoring daily service between Chicago and Paris from March 27 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier will compete with United and Air France.

Between Philadelphia and Paris

Taylor Rains / Insider

American is re-establishing daily service between Philadelphia and Paris from March 27 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier will be the only competitor.

Between Charlotte and Dublin

David Soanes Photography / Via Getty

American is re-establishing daily service between Charlotte and Dublin from May 5 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will be the only competitor.

Between Charlotte and Rome

S. Borisov / Shutterstock

American is restoring daily service between Charlotte and Rome from summer 2022 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will be the only competitor.

Between Phoenix and London

Brandon Burris / Shutterstock

American is re-establishing daily service between Phoenix and London from March 26 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will compete with British Airways.

Between Raleigh and London

Kevin Ruck / Shutterstock

American is re-establishing daily service between Raleigh and London from March 26 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will be the only competitor.

Between Philadelphia and Lisbon

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American is restoring daily service between Philadelphia and Lisbon from March 26 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier will not face any competition.

Between Charlotte and Madrid

Sylvain Sonnet / Getty Images

American is re-establishing daily service between Charlotte and Madrid from March 27 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will be the only competitor.

Between Philadelphia and Madrid

Vicente Méndez / Getty Images

American is re-establishing daily service between Philadelphia and Madrid from March 26 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier will be the sole operator.

Between Philadelphia and Venice

Initiated

American is re-establishing daily service between Philadelphia and Venice from May 7 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The carrier will be the sole operator.

Between Dallas and Beijing

Wang Yukun / Getty Images

American is re-establishing bi-weekly service between Dallas and Beijing on Mondays and Thursdays starting March 3 using a Boeing 777-200. The carrier will be the only competitor.