American Airlines will be increasing its transatlantic flight operations to Spain this upcoming winter season. This will include increasing capacity by up-guaging its fleet from hubs such as 
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and 
Philadelphia International Airport, as well as re-starting seasonal operations earlier than originally planned.
This expansion comes as other US carriers have also increased their focus on Spain as a leisure destination. 
United Airlines now flies to six different Spanish destinations, 
Delta Air Lines has added capacity to Barcelona from its hubs in New York and Boston, and JetBlue became the fourth US carrier flying to Madrid.
The Expanded Winter Season Capacity
Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock
Like other US carriers, American Airlines typically trims its transatlantic network during the winter months as the demand for European destinations drops off from its summer peak. Capacity has historically been re-assigned to southerly routes to Latin America and the Caribbean for travelers seeking winter sun getaways. So these adjustments to American’s winter network run counter to the norm.
The specific changes that American is making are as follows:
-
Dallas Fort Worth – Madrid: The route will have increased capacity and more premium options over the holiday period, operating with a
Boeing 777-300ER
from December 2 to January 5 instead of the normal Boeing 777-200. - Dallas Fort Worth – Barcelona: American Airlines launched a summer service between its Texas hub and Catalonia last year, using a Boeing 777-200. Demand has been sufficient to warrant the seasonal route resuming on January 6 instead of at the end of March as originally planned.
- Philadelphia – Madrid: The airline is expanding capacity on the route by up-guaging from a 234-seat Boeing 787-8 to a 285-seat Boeing 787-9 from December 2 to January 5.
- Chicago O’Hare – Madrid : The seasonal ORD–MAD service began in March this year as part of American Airlines’ summer expansion. Demand for the route was high, so the airline is bringing it back earlier on March 7 rather than the planned late-March restart.
Brian Znotins, American’s vice president of network planning, emphasized that Spain’s mild climate makes it an ideal winter destination, whether travelers are looking for unique destinations or just some time in the sun:
“American is eager to connect leisure customers with Spain. Whether they want to stroll through the Plaza del Sol and take in the excitement of the Spanish capital, or relax on a sunny Barcelona beach, American is ready to take them on their journeys.”
The American Airlines Network To Spain
Photo: Jeffrey SS | Pexels
American flies 11 routes to Spain from six of its hubs (JFK, PHL, ORD, DFW, MIA, and CLT), flying to both Madrid and Barcelona from all except Charlotte (Madrid only). Each route is flown daily, but four are seasonal and service is typically suspended between October and March. However, its winter adjustments will see two of those four re-start earlier than planned.
American Airlines’ Network To Spain
US Hub
Destination
Aircraft Used
Seasonality
Winter Changes
Charlotte
Madrid
B777-200
Year-round
Chicago O’Hare
Barcelona
B787-8
Summer only
Chicago O’Hare
Madrid
B787-8
Summer only
Restarting March 7 instead of end March
Dallas Fort Worth
Barcelona
B777-200, B787-9
Summer only
Restarting January 5 instead of end March
Dallas Fort Worth
Madrid
B777-200
Year-round
Up-guaging to B777-300ER Dec 2–Jan 5
Miami
Barcelona
B787-8
Year-round
Miami
Madrid
B777-200
Year-round
New York JFK
Barcelona
B777-200
Summer only
New York JFK
Madrid
B777-200
Year-round
Philadelphia
Barcelona
B787-8, B787-9
Year-round
Philadelphia
Madrid
B787-8
Year-round
Up-guaging to B787-9 Dec 2–Jan 5
Madrid Barajas Airport is an especially important destination for American Airlines, as it is the hub for its 
oneworld partner 
Iberia, with both airlines part of the Atlantic Joint Business Agreement (AJBA). The Spanish flag carrier flies to 126 destinations from Madrid, with the majority being to European cities. This makes Madrid a genuine alternative to London Heathrow for American Airlines passengers looking for a oneworld hub with a wide choice of onward connections.
As a result, American Airlines has been consistently expanding its codeshare agreements with Iberia. In April this year it added Athens, Budapest, Hamburg, and Paris, making a total of 65 Iberian intra-European routes that also carry an American Airlines flight code. Interestingly, American also codeshares on a number of Iberia’s US routes where it doesn’t provide direct flights, including Boston, San Francisco, San Juan, and Washington Dulles.
Related
American Airlines Introduces New European-Inspired Inflight Menu Just In Time For Summer
As part of a larger revamp of its premium soft product, the carrier is upgrading its onboard catering on these routes.
Spanish Growth With Other US Carriers
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
American Airlines adding winter capacity to Spain is not entirely surprising, as its new routes for Summer 2025 also had a strong focus on Southern Europe. Aside from adding the Chicago-Madrid route, it also added Charlotte-Athens, Miami-Rome, and Philadelphia-Milan.
However, while American has the most US cities connected to Spain, it is United that offers the most Spanish destinations from the US. It has long served Madrid and Barcelona from its East Coast hubs at Newark and Washington Dulles, but in recent years has expanded to other Spanish leisure destinations. It now offers seasonal summer service to Malaga, Tenerife, Bilbao, and Palma de Mallorca.
Meanwhile, Delta flies year-round from its Atlanta and New York JFK hubs to Madrid and Barcelona, with added capacity to Barcelona (11–12 flights a week) from both during the summer months. It also added Barcelona from Boston earlier this year, and next year plans to connect Seattle to the Catalonian capital. Finally, JetBlue added seasonal service to Madrid from Boston as part of its international expansion this year, marking its first connection to Spain.