American Airlines. Photo: Shutterstock American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, announced this week the expansion of its services for the upcoming winter – with a clear emphasis on flights to sunny vacation and beach destinations.
The schedule includes the launch of new routes, increased flight frequencies, and extended seasonal service to popular destinations across Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, South America, and even Europe.
In a statement released by the airline, the company emphasized that the goal of this expansion is to let travelers “warm up this winter in their favorite destinations – from the beaches of Cancun to the timeless charm of Europe.”
American Airlines plans to operate over 270 daily flights to beach destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean – more than any other U.S. carrier.
Key Destinations for Winter 2025:
Cancun, Mexico: New route from Santa Ana, California, starting November 8
Punta Cana: Four new routes from across the U.S., starting December 6
Hawaii: Renewal of flights to Kona, with added frequencies to Maui and Honolulu
South America: Up to 4 daily flights from Miami to Buenos Aires, and 10 weekly flights from Dallas to Sao Paulo
Europe: Flights to Barcelona will continue throughout the winter, as will routes to Athens and Dublin
U.S. Ski Resorts: First new route from North Carolina to Aspen, Colorado
| Origin | Destination | Service Details | Aircraft Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago (ORD) | Honolulu (HNL) | Daily service starting October 26 | Boeing 787-8 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | Dublin (DUB) | Service extended until January 6 | Boeing 787-8 |
| DFW | Kahului, Hawaii (OGG) | Second daily flight starting November 20 | Boeing 777-200 and 787-8 |
| DFW | Kona, Hawaii (KOA) | Daily service starting November 20 | Boeing 787-8 |
| DFW | Sao Paulo (GRU) | 10 weekly flights starting December 3 | Boeing 787-9 and 787-8 |
| Miami (MIA) | Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) | 4 daily flights starting December 18 | Boeing 777-300, 777-200, and 787-8 |
| New York (JFK) | Barcelona, Spain (BCN) | Service extended until December 2 | Boeing 787-8 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | Athens, Greece (ATH) | Service extended until November 17 | Boeing 787-8 |
According to Brian Zenutins, Vice President of Network Planning at American Airlines:
"This winter, we will offer our passengers the flexibility to get exactly where they want – whether it’s a family beach vacation, a romantic trip to Europe, or a ski holiday in Aspen."
Photo: ShutterstockAnd What About Israel? Currently – Out of the List
Alongside the impressive expansion, American Airlines is not planning to resume its operations to Israel during 2025, based at least on the winter flight schedule for 2025.
As a reminder, following the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" war in October 2023, American Airlines was one of the first airlines to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv, and since then has not resumed operations on this route.
As reported in an article published in PassportNews in November 2024, the company has officially confirmed to the Passportnews system that: "There are no plans to renew the route to Israel in the near future," adding that this decision is based on an assessment of security and operational conditions.
The announcement was made in response to an inquiry from Passportnews and reflected a cautious approach from the company regarding operations in the Middle East, compared to airlines like United Airlines and Delta which left open the possibility for a future return.
As mentioned in its latest announcement this week, which included extensive details of winter destinations, Israel is not included in the company’s strategic destination list for 2025 – reinforcing the assessment that the route to Tel Aviv is not expected to be renewed anytime soon.
The Trend is Clear – Strengthening Safe and Popular Destinations
It seems that American Airlines, like many other companies, is currently emphasizing stable destinations with high demand and pleasant climates that are suitable for winter vacations and provide a safe, risk-free experience.
The company continues to strengthen its presence in South America, the Caribbean, and Hawaii while maintaining a strategic presence in Europe – but the Middle East, and Israel in particular, remains outside the picture.
For Israelis wishing to fly with American Airlines, the only option for now is to connect through connection destinations in Europe or the U.S.