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)
Jan 5, 2019, 9:22 am
#1051
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP; BoNVoY Tit LTP
Posts: 1,923
I would certainly assume this would be replacing a BA flight, not a new flight. Either for matching capacity/product more precisely to the market or for WAS AA loyalists who (for whatever reason: frequent flyer program, product, and misunderstanding of the Fly America Act being three obvious ones on this particular route) prefer an AA plane enough that replacing a BA flight with an AA one would make them less likely to fly UA or another competitor.
Jan 5, 2019, 9:52 am
#1052
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, UA Silver
Posts: 1,366
Personnaly, I’d love to see a day flight to LHR. Not so great for connections, but a much more enjoyable trip for me than the overnights.
Jan 5, 2019, 6:21 pm
#1053
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,488
I was in college at the time, not far from ABE. It was nice to leave my car at a friend's parents' house, they drove us to ABE, and picked us up there after also.
I've wondered why US, now AA, didn't just run shuttles between ABE and PHL.
That said, I still think that IAD-LHR would be an odd routing. Other than hubs and RDU-LHR, AA doesn't really have any TA flights. The only flights AA has to IAD are from hubs, most of which already have flights to LHR (well PHX will be starting).
Didn't DL used to have (maybe still does) PIT-CDG?
Jan 5, 2019, 6:32 pm
#1054
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
That said, I still think that IAD-LHR would be an odd routing. Other than hubs and RDU-LHR, AA doesn't really have any TA flights. The only flights AA has to IAD are from hubs, most of which already have flights to LHR (well PHX will be starting).
Didn't DL used to have (maybe still does) PIT-CDG?
Didn't DL used to have (maybe still does) PIT-CDG?
Jan 5, 2019, 7:49 pm
#1055
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
DL operates a number of CDG and AMS flights from US cities that aren't DL hubs as part of their AF/KLM joint venture and has since the Northwest days, including BOS and SEA (both long predating either of them being DL hubs), IND, RDU, PDX, MCO, and TPA. I think with AF/KL/DL, it's largely about which airline has the right plane, particularly that DL has smaller TATL-configured planes than either AF or KL so makes sense as the operator of thinner routes. Looks like the PIT one is no more, though. For whatever reason, AA/BA have always had AA operate only the LHR flights from AA's hubs with the exception of the RDU flight, which predates the joint venture. IAD-LHR would obviously change that at least a bit.
Jan 5, 2019, 8:07 pm
#1056
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Jan 5, 2019, 9:06 pm
#1057
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: DFW/PHL
Programs: US CP, UA *G; SPG Plat, Hilton Gold; Natl Exec, Hertz PC
Posts: 623
Jan 8, 2019, 4:16 am
#1058
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
On an amusing note, in 2016 DL started RDU-EWR. United decided to retaliate and start RDU-LGA, an incredibly rare point to point route for them. It lasted about 9 months while Delta is still flying RDU-EWR today.
Jul 13, 2019, 1:25 pm
#1061
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MSP/BUF/BNA/LFT
Programs: AA Plat, Priority Club Gold, Choice Privileges Gold
Posts: 1,225
I'm going for PHL-PMO since UA already flies to NAP and no one has attempted US-Sicily since IG changed their business model.
Jul 13, 2019, 1:28 pm
#1062
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,456
Jul 13, 2019, 2:21 pm
#1065
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Even if that little pedantic excursion there was true (and it isn't, to be clear,) there is no way "new service to Italy" would exclude Sicily on that basis, it's pure silliness to suggest that.