The latest update is from American Airlines, which is adding to its network two brand new destinations. TPG has been confirmed by the Fort Worth-based carrier that this summer it will begin it’s first-ever flights to Eureka, California (ACV) and Idaho Falls, Idaho (IDA).
American can fly from its Phoenix hub to Eureka once a day, and to Idaho Falls twice a day, one route from Dallas/Fort Worth and another from Phoenix.
The new service will run year-round with a dual-class CRJ-700 starting on June 3, with the full timetables below. Flights will be uploaded over the weekend to the schedule and will be available for booking starting on Saturday, Feb. 13.
America will expand service to four existing cities in addition to the two new pins on its route map, as it focuses on pivoting to areas where people want to go during the pandemic.
In particular, from both its Los Angeles (LAX) and Phoenix (PHX) hubs, the carrier is introducing new seasonal services as shown below:
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Durango, Colorado (DRO)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Missoula, Montana (MSO)
• Phoenix (PHX) – Bozeman, Montana (BZN)
The new extension of America’s network specifically focuses on outdoor-friendly destinations. The redwood forest of California and the abundant nature trails of Idaho rapidly climb to the top of the list as pandemic-weary travellers search for trips with built-in social distance.
In addition, improving flights to cities in Colorado and Montana increases the number of one-stop routes that can be offered to airports near national parks and other warm-weather activities by American travellers.
Despite the pandemic, at the cost of those in key business markets, such as New York and Chicago, airports such as Bozeman and Grand Junction are becoming more common. In reality, Cirium’s schedules show that in June 2021, domestic airlines are planning almost a quarter more flights to Bozeman and 20 percent more flights to Grand Junction compared to June 2019.