Here's a probably naive thought. At O'Hare yesterday, I counted 45 airlines in operation there, mostly at terminal 5. Yes, I know that most domestic flights are operated by United and American, but if United can fly from Tokyo to Beijing, can't other nation's airlines fly from Chicago to LA, or even Dubuque?
I know this is all related to international treaties, etc and is MUCH easier said than done. But couldn't international airlines eventually provide domestic competition in principle?