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American Airlines Increases Long-Haul Presence At London Heathrow While Cutting Frequencies From US Airports Like Chicago And Los Angeles



Saturday, May 31, 2025

American Airlines is expanding its long-haul footprint at London Heathrow to capture rising transatlantic demand and strengthen its competitive edge on key Europe-bound routes, even as it reduces flight frequencies from major US hubs like Chicago and Los Angeles to optimize aircraft utilization and boost profitability.

American Airlines now flies more long-haul routes from London Heathrow than from any of its domestic hubs, highlighting Heathrow’s rising importance in its global operations. This dominance stems from the airline’s strategic alliances and joint ventures, especially its partnership with a major transatlantic carrier, which has made the UK capital a central pillar of American’s international network.

Since overtaking Dallas/Fort Worth in 2022, London Heathrow has remained the leading airport for American Airlines’ long-haul operations. The airline now ranks as the third-busiest carrier at Heathrow in terms of total flights. While its overall share of departures at the airport stands at around 4%, that figure climbs to 10% when looking solely at long-haul routes—those stretching beyond 3,000 statute miles.

Heathrow ranks as the world’s third most active airport for widebody aircraft, with large, long-haul jets making up a significant share of its daily traffic. This heavy concentration of long-range flights highlights the airport’s global importance. American Airlines has steadily expanded its presence in this space, increasing both the number of flights and the variety of destinations served from Heathrow.

The airline defines long-haul flights as those covering 3,000 statute miles or more, equivalent to about 2,607 nautical miles or 4,828 kilometers. Using this standard, Heathrow emerges as the clear leader among American’s long-haul gateways. The airport now sees more of the airline’s long-range flights than any other point in its vast global network.

American Airlines is set to operate 24 long-haul flights per day from London Heathrow in July 2025—a slight drop from the 25 it offered during the same month last year. Despite the minor dip, Heathrow remains the airline’s leading hub for transatlantic travel, thanks to its dense schedule and high-demand routes. The carrier continues to connect Heathrow with major U.S. cities including Dallas/Fort Worth, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Chicago, reinforcing its deep footprint across both sides of the Atlantic.

Dallas/Fort Worth currently leads all American Airlines routes to London Heathrow, with five daily departures—marking a record high for the airline on this transatlantic corridor. The additional flight was introduced in late March 2025, timed with a service suspension by one of American’s joint venture partners on the same route. Seizing the opportunity, American boosted its own capacity to meet demand. However, the increase is temporary; once the partner resumes operations in late October, American plans to reduce its Dallas-Heathrow frequency back to four flights a day.

Other major U.S. cities also play a central role in American’s Heathrow network. New York JFK sees four daily flights, while Charlotte and Chicago O’Hare each have three. Miami, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia operate with two daily services apiece. Boston, Phoenix, and Raleigh/Durham each see a single long-haul departure per day from Heathrow.

While Dallas/Fort Worth gained an additional daily departure, several other U.S. cities saw service trimmed. American Airlines reduced its Chicago flights to three per day, down from four last July, and scaled back its Los Angeles service from three to two daily. With partner airline schedules remaining unchanged, these route cuts have led to a 19% decline in total seat capacity across the joint transatlantic network. The slimmer offering, however, could work in American’s favor—tightening supply during peak travel months may help boost fares, improve aircraft occupancy, and enhance revenue performance across these competitive long-haul routes.

Here is a breakdown of American’s July 2025 long-haul schedule from Heathrow:

  • Five daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth
  • Four daily flights to New York JFK
  • Three daily flights to Charlotte and Chicago O’Hare
  • Two daily flights to Los Angeles, Miami, and Philadelphia
  • One daily flight to Boston, Phoenix, and Raleigh/Durham

All long-haul routes are operated with widebody aircraft such as the Boeing 777-200ER, 777-300ER, and 787-9, ensuring ample capacity for both business and leisure travelers.

Beyond American’s own operations, Heathrow stands out globally for long-haul connectivity. In July 2025, the airport will see approximately 250 long-haul departures daily, making it the most active airport in the world for intercontinental service. Nearly 40% of all flights departing Heathrow this July will travel over 3,000 miles.

The next closest competitor, Paris Charles de Gaulle, will operate 162 long-haul departures per day—far fewer than Heathrow. This wide lead reinforces Heathrow’s status as the world’s most important long-haul gateway.

A total of 35 airlines will operate at least one daily long-haul departure from Heathrow this July. The biggest contributors include a UK-based carrier with 82 daily long-haul flights, followed by another transatlantic competitor with 33. American Airlines ranks third with 24 daily services. Two other U.S. carriers round out the top five, operating 20 and 9 to 10 long-haul flights each day, respectively.

When considering all carriers within the same alliance as American, their combined schedules account for half of Heathrow’s total long-haul departures. This consolidated presence underscores the strategic advantage American gains by anchoring its international operations in London.

American Airlines is boosting its long-haul operations at London Heathrow to meet growing transatlantic demand, while trimming flights from US hubs like Chicago and Los Angeles to maximize aircraft efficiency and improve route profitability.

Even as schedules fluctuate and frequencies adjust from year to year, American Airlines continues to treat London Heathrow as its most valuable long-haul asset. With strong demand, fleet flexibility, and deep alliances in place, Heathrow will likely remain the airline’s top intercontinental hub for the foreseeable future.