American Airlines Joins the Race at Tulum’s New Airport

American Airlines has unveiled its plans for expansion through 2024, focusing on introducing a new spring service to Tulum’s brand-new airport.

Tulum is a popular tourist destination among U.S. travelers. American Airlines joins Delta, Spirit, and United in offering flights to the highly anticipated new airport, which is set to begin operations on December 1, 2023.

Starting March 28, American Airlines will offer four daily nonstop flights to Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TQO) from three different airports in the U.S:

• One daily flight from Miami International Airport (MIA)
• One daily flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
• Two daily flights from Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport (DFW)

American Airlines will use Boeing 737-800 for all flights to the Mexican destination, with a total capacity of 172 passengers across three cabin classes, including 16 First Class seats, 24 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 132 seats in the Main Cabin. The planes come equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, in-seat charging ports, and in-flight entertainment for passenger comfort.

Photo: Courtesy of American Airlines

“American continues to enhance our comprehensive global network with more nonstops to destinations our customers want to visit,” said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning.

“With more flights to Tulum from the U.S. than any other airline, American will offer convenient nationwide connectivity to this popular vacation gem on the Riviera Maya.”

Other Routes in Expansion

American Airlines aims to expand its winter service to Cancun by offering additional flights to Tulum. The airline has already started operating up to 40 peak-day departures between the U.S. and Cancun International Airport (CUN). 

Additionally, American Airlines has applied to the Department of Transport to launch a daytime service between New York’s JFK Airport and Tokyo International Airport (HND). The proposed daily service would operate year-round, complementing Japan Airlines’ existing frequencies and providing greater convenience and connectivity for passengers.

Photo: American Airlines, Boeing 777-300ER. Courtesy of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

“American looks forward to presenting our competitive application to provide new and enhanced service to Tokyo’s convenient Haneda Airport,” said Molly Wilkinson, American Airlines’ Vice President of Regulatory and International Government Affairs.

“This will be the only nonstop service from JFK to Tokyo operated by a U.S. airline. Joining American’s existing flights from Dallas-Fort Worth and Los Angeles, JFK to Tokyo service adds an East Coast gateway for flights to Haneda while offering the largest metropolitan area in the U.S. more options for travel to one of the most important business hubs in the world.”

In addition, American Airlines will increase the frequency of flights to several destinations in Central America and the Caribbean starting June 5, 2024.

From Charlotte, it will increase frequency to:

• Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI) to daily flights
• Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR) to daily flights
• Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT) to 2x daily flights

From Dallas-Fort Worth, the following services will be increased to 2x daily flights:

• Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA)
• San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO)

From Miami, it will increase frequency to:

• Antigua (ANU) to 2x daily flights
• Anguilla (AXA) to 2x daily flights
• Georgetown, Guyana (GEO) to 2x daily flights
• Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago (GEO)to 2x daily flights
• Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP) to 2x daily flights
• Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (PLS)to 3x daily flights