Nov 26, 2014, 4:51 am
Last edit by: IADCAflyer
Speculation: New Routes, Hubs, Flights (2017 Onward)
Because there is community interest in having a purely speculative discussion about whether other airports will pop up to become focus cities or hubs, new routes, etc. the following new thread has been amalgamated on this topic.Note:
Going: 9 A330-300, ER190, some older 757-200 and 8 767-300ER (leaving 17), MD-80
Coming: Remainder of 16 Boeing 26 787-8, 22 Boeing 787-9 (began later 2016). A320 family - 100 A321neo, and B737-800 (100 737-MAX8) aircraft.
See Cranky Flier article on 2016 fleet changes, AA-HP-US. Link.
Also see: HELP DESK: General questions about aircraft equipment, fleet, seats, IFE, etc.
Speculation fun time: Will xxx be the next AA focus city / hub? (consolidated)
Obsolete posts from 2015 on have been moved to ARCHIVE: Speculation: Possible Routes (Flights) and Hubs, Discussion - 2015 on
All posts prior to 2015 have been moved here: ARCHIVE: Routes (Flights) and Hubs (Speculation, News and Discussion)
Speculation: Possible Routes (Flights) and Hubs, Discussion - (2017 on)
Aug 15, 2016, 2:44 pm
#76
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 88
I think MDT-DFW is way overdue. I could see them eliminating a frequency from MDT-CLT and moving it to MDT-DFW, something like 1x daily E175 or A319. But LAA even has trouble running capacity to ORD from MDT. It's been stable at 3x daily CR7s this summer, but drops capacity this winter again. So much MDT traffic bleeds to BWI and even PHL.
I think ORD-COS and PHX-COS are no-brainers too.
I think ORD-COS and PHX-COS are no-brainers too.
Another route would be LGB-DFW (I'm petty sure LGB still has commuter slots open.) And BUR-DFW/ORD. Weird how they only serve PHX from Burbank.
Aug 15, 2016, 6:53 pm
#77
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,580
A lot of small western markets are served by AA only from PHX. This is a legacy of the old America West hub. When America West merged with US Airways, it wasn't practical to serve these markets from US's hubs on the east coast, but it may now be possible to serve them from DFW or ORD. We will see what happens as the integration progresses.
Last edited by cbn42; Aug 15, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Aug 16, 2016, 1:32 am
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
It's probably both. LUS seemed to run the A332s that arrived from Europe on quick CLT turns in between their early afternoon arrival and late evening departures. It probably makes more sense to run them on BOS turns and reduce frequencies for the rest of the flights in congested airspace. Presumably higher-yielding traffic on BOS-PHL-Europe that would prefer lie-flats, too.
Aug 16, 2016, 7:24 am
#79
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 49
I'd like to see us re-add crw-dfw, but on a 175 this time. 2.5hrs and daily weight restrictions on the crj200 we had for about 18months was awful, would prefer a RON for early am departure to DFW, evening arrival from DFW. Don't see it until Envoy tops out on their 40 175s or options being exercise though.
Aug 16, 2016, 7:58 am
#80
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,952
Yes. OAK-DFW and LGB-DFW should both be part of the network for sure.
Aug 16, 2016, 8:03 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
BUR-DFW didn't survive. I'm not so sure about the viability of tertiary California airports to DFW. If the term tertiary offends, OAK and LGB certainly aren't core to AA.
Aug 16, 2016, 8:06 am
#82
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,952
Tertiary are CEC, BFL, MRY, SBA, etc.
Edit: FAT is served double daily from DFW. OAK serves 7x as much traffic as FAT, LGB is 2x.
Last edited by DWFI; Aug 16, 2016 at 8:15 am
Aug 16, 2016, 9:13 am
#83
Join Date: May 2016
Location: LAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, National Exec
Posts: 57
I have been reading through this thread, mostly interested in SNA service. I tend to disagree with the routing through PHX and DFW. As an AA flier that lives about 6 miles from SNA I'd love to see a cross-country flight. Routing through DFW means departing in the morning and arriving on the east coast at night. If we could depart SNA in the evening (latest departure, say 10:00 or 10:15pm) and fly overnight we could connect to east coast cities in the morning. This is what I'm missing from SNA. An overnight flight to PHL or CLT would be great for morning connections. Instead, I need to trek to LAX to accomplish the same thing.
Aug 16, 2016, 9:34 am
#84
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PHL
Posts: 2,842
I have been reading through this thread, mostly interested in SNA service. I tend to disagree with the routing through PHX and DFW. As an AA flier that lives about 6 miles from SNA I'd love to see a cross-country flight. Routing through DFW means departing in the morning and arriving on the east coast at night. If we could depart SNA in the evening (latest departure, say 10:00 or 10:15pm) and fly overnight we could connect to east coast cities in the morning. This is what I'm missing from SNA. An overnight flight to PHL or CLT would be great for morning connections. Instead, I need to trek to LAX to accomplish the same thing.
For a couple of my trips I did SNA-DEN/IAH-PHL departing SNA in the early afternoon and getting the last flight of the day on DEN/IAH-PHL.
Aug 16, 2016, 11:41 am
#85
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 88
DL doesn't even have a redeye to ATL. UA has one to EWR, but it departs at 9:20pm. I am not sure one would work to CLT or PHL especially given the slot restrictions. Does AA have an optimal aircraft for SNA-CLT/PHL? Delta uses 752's and UA uses 73G's.
For a couple of my trips I did SNA-DEN/IAH-PHL departing SNA in the early afternoon and getting the last flight of the day on DEN/IAH-PHL.
For a couple of my trips I did SNA-DEN/IAH-PHL departing SNA in the early afternoon and getting the last flight of the day on DEN/IAH-PHL.
Aug 16, 2016, 12:19 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Why? OAK is dominated by WN and LGB isn't a high-fare airport.
SNA doesn't have enough runway for a nonstop eastbound transcon A320 or A321. Perhaps the A319 would work, but that's a high CASM airplane - would fares on SNA-CLT be high enough to warrant a high-cost transcon flight? Maybe.
Aug 16, 2016, 6:07 pm
#87
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat, SPG Plat, AMEX Plat, Hertz PC, Travels too Much Platinum
Posts: 3,290
Perhaps with a newer winglet A319 and the shorter distance to CLT it could be tried again if they wanted to devote a slot or managed to get a new one, but I wouldn't say they should make it a priority.
It's always surprised me that airports such as SJC, OAK, SNA, etc couldn't support more than fleeting or token service to East Coast hubs. Here's hoping that SJC-CLT is a success.
Aug 16, 2016, 7:32 pm
#88
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
Eons ago, I think even before the HP-US merger, US operated SNA-PIT, which was transferred to SNA-PHL with the teardown of the PIT hub. Westbound dinner hour flight, eastbound redeye. It was operated with the A319. I took it a few times out PIT and PHL, probably in the 2002-2005 timeframe, and it was lightly patronized every time I flew it, but back then loads tended to be much lower overall on all carriers.
Perhaps with a newer winglet A319 and the shorter distance to CLT it could be tried again if they wanted to devote a slot or managed to get a new one, but I wouldn't say they should make it a priority.
It's always surprised me that airports such as SJC, OAK, SNA, etc couldn't support more than fleeting or token service to East Coast hubs. Here's hoping that SJC-CLT is a success.
Perhaps with a newer winglet A319 and the shorter distance to CLT it could be tried again if they wanted to devote a slot or managed to get a new one, but I wouldn't say they should make it a priority.
It's always surprised me that airports such as SJC, OAK, SNA, etc couldn't support more than fleeting or token service to East Coast hubs. Here's hoping that SJC-CLT is a success.
Aug 16, 2016, 8:10 pm
#89
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 49
Just curious, the LUS A319's have the same seats and pitch as the LAA ones, but without the annoying IFE box under the seat. A preference for IFE is understandable, personally I prefer not having the box, but there isn't a difference anymore in the seat.
Aug 16, 2016, 8:25 pm
#90
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat, SPG Plat, AMEX Plat, Hertz PC, Travels too Much Platinum
Posts: 3,290
Do we think a 738 could do SNA-East Coast (perhaps only as a red eye for cooler temps in the summer months) with the shorter runway and noise abatement requirements out of SNA?