American makes big cuts in Austin, brings flagship aircraft to Charlotte

It seems that Austin, Texas was not as hot as American Airlines expected.

Over the weekend, the airline introduced yet another major schedule change surrounding service at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).

This time, American is rolling out five routes in Austin, as first seen in Cirium's plans and later confirmed to TPG by a carrier spokesperson. (American is also dropping two more domestic routes — details you'll find at the end of this story.)

Austin flights include year-round service to Las Vegas, New Orleans and Orlando, as well as seasonal service to Palm Springs and Reno.

The aforementioned flights have now been canceled since October, and affected travelers will be offered a route through an American hub or a full refund.

In a statement confirming the move, a spokesperson for the airline shared that “as part of an ongoing evaluation of our network, American will reduce service from Austin starting in October. American will continue to offer customers access to our global network of more than 350 destinations with one connection.” .”

With these cuts, American has effectively reversed nearly all of the carrier's recent growth in the Texas capital.

During the pandemic, America doubled down on the mission to Austin. The airline started expanding in March 2021 with 10 new routes. Just three months later, the carrier followed with 14 new routes there, including a mix of domestic and international routes to cities in Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

This mix of business and leisure oriented routes has been part of long-term plays to achieve growth in the city from large companies moving or expanding there. American wanted to position itself as the company of choice for locals, whether traveling for business or pleasure.

In addition to the new planes, American also unveiled plans for a new 15,000-square-foot Admirals Club in AUS. The proposed design calls for floor-to-ceiling windows, various seating areas, locally inspired art installations and live music from local artists.

At its height, some aviation watchers even wondered if the airport would eventually become an American city.

And now, a few years later, Austin will look like many of the carrier's other stations.

Late last year, the airline cut 21 routes from Austin. Now, with five more cuts, American is left with service from AUS to:

• Aspen
• Boston
• Cancun
• Charlotte
• Chicago
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Los Angeles
• Los Cabos
• Miami
• Nashville
• New York-JFK
• Orange County
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Raleigh/Durham

Onward, American Airlines travelers must connect in nearby destinations to reach many destinations from the city. (American said it is increasing capacity on these hub routes and that this adjustment is within its latest capacity guidance.)

Alternatively, American's Austin fliers may turn to competitors like Delta Air Lines or Southwest — the two major carriers in Austin that offer nonstop service on many of the routes that American has now cut.

While the biggest network news may have been in Austin, American also runs two other domestic routes: Raleigh-Durham to Cincinnati and Tampa to Los Angeles. The former route was launched just last year, so this flight may not have been as busy as American expected.

America's first flight to Charlotte

Separately, for the first time, American will fly its flagship aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER, from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) on a regularly scheduled service. As of Nov. 5, the airline will connect CLT with London Heathrow Airport (LHR) using a 777-300ER. This winter season promotion will continue until March 29, 2025.

The American 777-300ER has eight Flagship First seats, as well as 52 business class pods, 28 premium economy recliners, 28 Main Cabin Extra extra-legroom seats and 188 standard seats. economic. The 777-300ER replaces the 777-200ER that already operates on this route.

Historically, American has operated its 777-300ER on its most popular routes from Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

However, the airline seems to be trying to go with its premium capacity. It will be interesting to see if American can fill this 304-seat jet this winter.

Premium passengers should note that Charlotte does not have a Flagship Lounge, and American has also announced plans to remove first class from the Boeing 777-300ER and replace it with a larger business class cabin.

Those refund plans are said to be ongoing, and it is possible that first class may not be available for purchase throughout the winter season.

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