Greetings Everyone - this post is pretty much speculation and the title says it all.
Now that SEA has been opened and added to AX's LAS, DWF, LGA, SFO, and MIA locations has anyone heard any rumors or whispers as to what city (or cities) are next on the list?
For 2014 the FAA lists the following statistics for total passenger boardings (in millions) and I have arbitrarily color coded the airports as:
significant airside access (you can walk to mostly any gate from any other gate without having to re-clear security),
somewhat limited airside access (you can walk to some gates but not the majority of gates, without having to re-clear security), and
limited airside access where you cannot walk from one gate to the majority of other gates without having to re-clear security.
Also I have noted if there's an existing DL hub with multiple SkyClubs and crossed out locations that already have an AX lounge.
1. ATL - 46.6; DL hub + SkyClubs
2. LAX - 34.3
3. DFW - 34.2
4. ORD - 33.6
5. JFK - 26.2
6. DEN - 26.0
7. SFO - 22.7
8. CLT - 21.5
9. LAS - 20.5
10. PHX - 20.3
11. IAH - 19.7
12. MIA - 19.4
13. SEA - 17.8
14. EWR - 17.6
15. MCO - 17.2
16. MSP - 16.9; DL hub + SkyClubs
17. DTW - 15.7; DL hub + SkyClubs
18. BOS - 15.4
19. PHL - 14.7
20. LGA - 13.4
26. DCA - 10.0
If we take the top five locations in terms of total passengers, that are well connected airside, and are not Delta hubs (the assumption here is that eligible AX cardholders can use one of the already built SkyClubs), we have the following short-list:
1. ORD
2. DEN
3. CLT
4. IAH
5. PHL
Anyways to be clear - I have no idea as to where AX will build their next location or what additional constraints they have to operate under (e.g. real-estate) but wanted to see if folks had any more insight as to where the next location would be.