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The battle for supremacy in Chicago just escalated once again.
American Airlines just announced three new routes from Chicago and two more from Los Angeles. American’s move is the latest in its increasingly tense rivalry with United Airlines in Chicago (and beyond).
American says that the additions are part of its effort to build the “nation’s most premier domestic network.” You can be the judge of that, but the competitive intent is practically undeniable.
American’s 3 ‘new’ Chicago routes
American will add service from Chicago to Allentown, Pennsylvania; Columbia, South Carolina; and Kahului/Maui. (All of which are technically resumptions for American.)
No offense to Allentown or Columbia, but Maui easily grabs the headline. Long-haul domestic routes have become increasingly rare now that the leisure-driven, pandemic-era travel boom has faded.
That’s why American’s decision to restart the 4,184-mile Chicago to Maui route after a nearly 20-year hiatus stands out.
Winter is traditionally the slowest season for transatlantic flying, freeing up wide-body aircraft that need to find new homes on profitable routes.
Maui seems to make sense, especially for winter-weather travelers in Chicago (and the surrounding areas). American already plans two daily flights from Chicago to Honolulu next winter.
American will be going up against United’s daily service on the Chicago-to-Maui route. With the addition of American’s 234 daily seats, I wouldn’t be surprised to see fare wars and hopefully better award and upgrade availability on the route.
Notably, United already serves all three Chicago routes that American announced on Thursday. And that’s probably not a coincidence.
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The two airlines have been jockeying for months for supremacy in Chicago. Both carriers operate major hubs at the airport, and United has leaned heavily into its hometown advantage in recent years.
United has added routes, increased frequencies, and even secured five additional gates at the airport through the city’s reallocation process.
American, meanwhile, has been working to defend (and rebuild) its relevance at ORD. The airline sued the Chicago Department of Aviation over the gate reallocation process, arguing the city moved too quickly. (American ultimately lost the case.)
Just weeks after United was eventually awarded additional gate access, American moved to acquire two gates from Spirit Airlines for $30 million, reinforcing its commitment to the hub.
United CEO Scott Kirby made the competitive stakes explicit this week, saying, “We are not going to allow [American] to win a single gate at our expense … We’re going to add as many flights as are required to keep our gate count the same in Chicago.”
| Departure | Arrival | Aircraft type | Start date | End date | Frequency |
| Chicago | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Embraer 170 | May 21 | Year-round | 2x daily flights |
| Chicago | Columbia, South Carolina | Embraer 170 | May 21 | Year-round | 2x daily flights |
| Chicago | Kahului/Maui | Boeing 787-8 | Dec. 17 | March 27, 2027 | Daily service |
American’s 2 ‘new’ Los Angeles routes
American also announced the return of two previously operated routes from Los Angeles International Airport.
Most notable is the resumption of service to Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD), another competitive jab at United, which operates hubs at both Dulles and LAX.
The timing is telling. Just last week, United unveiled its own expansion in Los Angeles, and American’s move feels like a response.
While the turf war in L.A. hasn’t reached Chicago-level intensity, the rivalry between the two airlines keeps heating up. Both airlines are signaling that they’re not willing to cede ground in some of the country’s most strategically important aviation markets.
| Departure | Arrival | Aircraft type | Start date | End date | Frequency |
| Los Angeles | Cleveland | Boeing 737 | April 7 | Year-round | Daily service |
| Los Angeles | Washington | Boeing 737 | April 7 | Year-round | Daily service |
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