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American Airlines has finally unveiled the big announcement it has been teasing on social media this week: The airline will begin operating new routes to the Middle East, Europe and Africa starting next summer.
This is exciting news for members of the American AAdvantage program, who now have even more ways to put their AAdvantage miles to use. Below are the details of American Airlines’ new routes and when tickets will become available for purchase.
» Learn more: Which American Airlines credit card should you choose?
New routes coming summer 2020
Here are the new routes American Airlines listed in its news release:
Chicago to Krakow, Poland, begins May 7 (5x weekly, operating seasonally).
Chicago to Budapest, Hungary, begins May 7 (5x weekly, operating seasonally).
Chicago to Prague, Czech Republic, begins May 8 (4x weekly, operating seasonally).
Philadelphia to Casablanca, Morocco, begins June 4 (3x weekly, operating seasonally).
Dallas-Fort Worth to Tel Aviv, Israel, begins Sept. 9 (3x weekly, operating year-round).
New service to Morocco
American’s nonstop flights between Philadelphia and Casablanca will be the airline’s first foray into Africa. These flights will operate three times per week starting June 4, 2020, with the summer season ending Sept. 8. This news comes on the heels of Royal Air Maroc joining the Oneworld alliance in January 2020, providing even more options for loyal AAdvantage members to put their miles to use on flights to Africa during peak travel months.
3 weekly flights to Tel Aviv
Starting Sept. 9, American Airlines will expand its service to Tel Aviv, with three weekly flights out of Dallas Fort Worth year-round. Tickets for this new route will become available for purchase starting Oct. 10, 2019.
» Learn more: Which American Airlines credit card should you choose?
Expanded service to Eastern Europe
The American Airlines hub at Chicago O’Hare is getting three new seasonal routes to Eastern Europe, starting in May 2020: Krakow, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; and Prague, Czech Republic. Tickets for these routes will be available for purchase starting Aug. 12, 2019.
All of these new Eastern European flights will be operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which offers some of the most spacious economy class seats in the air.
The bottom line
American Airlines’ expansion into Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East is great news all around. Not only does it make it make more nonstop flights available to popular destinations around the world, but it also provides more opportunities to redeem American AAdvantage miles for international travel.
American Airlines has lost several valuable partners in the past few years, including Aer Lingus and Airberlin. This has limited its route network and made it more challenging to book award travel, especially to Europe. The addition of these new routes is an exciting step in the right direction.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2021, including those best for:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Find the best travel credit card for you Earn more points and miles with these 6 strategies Alaska Airlines Members Can Now Redeem Miles on Aer Lingus
