Summer isn't technically over yet, but American Airlines is already planning five new nonstop routes to Europe for next summer.
In a Thursday announcement, American unveiled four brand-new routes to Greece, Spain, and Italy while reviving a nonstop flight to Scotland they haven't operated since before the pandemic. Most of those routes will actually kick off in the spring.
The additions include:
- Charlotte (CLT) to Athens (ATH) beginning June 5 on a Boeing 777-200
- Chicago (ORD) to Madrid (MAD) beginning Mar. 30 on a Boeing 787-9
- Miami (MIA) to Rome (FCO) beginning July 5 on a Boeing 777-200
- Philadelphia (PHL) to Milan (MXP) beginning May 23 on a Boeing 787-8
- Philadelphia (PHL) to Edinburgh (EDI) in Scotland beginning May 23 on a Boeing 787-8
These new flights aren't available just yet – they're expected to go on sale next Monday, Sept. 9.
The flight from Philadelphia to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh marks a resumption of route American operated in the summer of 2019, according to data from aviation analytics company Cirium. But all four other routes are brand-new for American Airlines flyers, though the airline already serves all four European cities from other hubs.
They'll have company. American will go head-to-head with Oneworld partner Iberia on the Chicago-to-Madrid route and will compete with Italy's ITA Airways on the flight from Miami to Rome.
Two more transatlantic routes from Philadelphia continues the airline's growth at one of its most important East Coast hubs. With those additions, American will serve 17 transatlantic destinations from the City of Brotherly Love after adding a new route to Naples (NAP) in Italy last summer.
American said that Naples route and its other new nonstops for 2024 will all be back next summer.
Travelers should always welcome more ways to get to Rome, and American's new route from Miami will be its sixth. The airline currently flies to the Italian capital from Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, New York City (JFK), and Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, the flight to Athens from Charlotte gives travelers a fourth daily option to get to Greece next summer.
In addition to the new routes, American is extending a few of its seasonal flights overseas to fly for even longer next summer.
- This year's new addition from Philadelphia to Naples will begin May 5, 2025
- Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Barcelona (BCN) and Philadelphia to Athens will both begin on March 30, 2025
- Miami to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) – which typically only operates over the winter months – will extend throughout summer 2025.
Finally, some changes to American's routes flying across the Pacific could be welcome news to AAdvantage members looking to redeem miles or upgrade to a bigger seat.
Its nonstop flights from the Dallas hub to both Tokyo-Haneda (HND) and Tokyo-Narita (NRT) will be upgraded to a Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 777-200, respectively, meaning more seats in every cabin. The airline will also deploy a Boeing 787-9 on its routes from Dallas to Shanghai (PVG) and the twice-daily flights connecting Los Angeles to Tokyo-Haneda.
Bottom Line
American Airlines is debuting four new routes and one repeat flying to Europe next summer, giving American flyers more options to get to Greece, Spain, Italy, and Scotland.
Tickets for all these new (and returning) routes are expected to go on sale next Monday, Sept. 9.