American Airlines is broadening its domestic network with a series of new routes from Chicago and Los Angeles, reinforcing its position in two of its most strategically important hubs. The expansion includes a mix of year-round and seasonal services designed to capture leisure, business, and visiting-friends-and-family demand across the United States. The new flights will become available for booking on January 26, with services launching in stages from April through December.
From Chicago O’Hare, American is introducing twice-daily, year-round service to Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Columbia, South Carolina, beginning May 21. These regional routes are aimed at improving connectivity between the Midwest and smaller but economically active markets in the Northeast and Southeast. Both routes place American in direct competition with United Airlines, reflecting the increasingly competitive landscape at O’Hare as carriers seek to strengthen their presence in the Upper Midwest.
In addition to regional growth, American is expanding its long-haul domestic offering from Chicago with a new seasonal route to Kahului, Hawaii. Daily service to Maui will operate from December 17 through March 2027, targeting peak winter travel demand. The route will be flown with widebody aircraft configured with multiple cabin options, positioning American to compete more aggressively for premium leisure travelers. O’Hare will become American’s fourth gateway to Maui, complementing existing services from Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Los Angeles International Airport is also seeing notable additions. Beginning April 7, American will launch daily, year-round flights from Los Angeles to Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, DC. These routes strengthen American’s transcontinental and Midwest connectivity while placing it head-to-head with established competitors on some of the country’s busiest business travel corridors. The Washington service adds another option alongside American’s existing flights to Reagan National Airport, offering travelers more flexibility in reaching the capital region.
The latest network changes build on American’s broader growth strategy in Chicago, where the airline previously announced plans to add roughly 100 daily flights, including popular seasonal leisure destinations. Executives have emphasized that the goal is not only to add capacity, but to refine frequency and destination choice in markets with strong and consistent demand. By targeting both major cities and underserved regional destinations, American is aiming to balance volume with network efficiency.
The expansion also highlights how airlines are recalibrating domestic networks as travel patterns continue to evolve. Leisure demand remains strong, particularly for destinations like Hawaii, while business travel is steadily recovering on routes linking major economic centers. With these new services, American is signaling confidence in sustained domestic demand and reinforcing its commitment to offering broad connectivity across the U.S. from its largest hubs.
