American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines are the big three US carriers. Collectively, Cirium Diio data shows they will provide 61% of the country's flights this year.
They'll operate almost two-thirds of domestic services and 42% of international flights. The trio will serve 491 airports globally, including 24 airports that did not see them last year—and, in most cases, never have.
American has added five airports
They are shown below. They include three airports that have not previously seen the carrier's equipment or that of its regional unit, American Eagle.
They include the Mexican city of Tampico, which gained its first-ever American service on March 6, the day this article was researched and written.
American will now fly to 29 Mexican airports. The launch came a day after it became the second carrier to serve Mississippi's Golden Triangle after Delta Connection.
- Carlsbad (California): from February 13; double daily Phoenix service with Envoy Air E175s. Last served by American Eagle in 1999 (from Los Angeles)
- Edinburgh: from May 23; daily summer seasonal from Philadelphia on 787-8s. Last served by American in 2019 (when it used the 757-200ER). It'll be American's first widebody service to Scotland's capital
- Golden Triangle (near Columbus, Mississippi): from March 5; daily from Dallas/Fort Worth on SkyWest's CRJ700s. New to American's network
- South Caicos: from February 15; twice-weekly from Miami on Envoy Air's E175s. New to American's network and South Caicos' only US service
- Tampico: from March 6; daily from Dallas/Fort Worth on Envoy Air E170s. New to American's network
Delta's three destinations
As summarized below, all of the SkyTeam member's additions this year are long-haul. Delta will provide the Sicilian city of Catania with its first US flights.
Meanwhile, Marrakech will gain its second US route despite the first, operated by United, only starting in October 2024.
In fact, until June 2024, when Air Transat inaugurated Montreal-Marrakech, the Moroccan city had not had any long-haul flights.
- Catania: from May 21; daily summer seasonal from New York JFK on 767-300ERs. New to Delta's map. It will be one of eight European routes, new and returning, coming this year
- Marrakech: from October 25; three weekly potentially winter seasonal from Atlanta on 767-400ERs. New to Delta's map. The airline will now serve a record five African airports from Atlanta
- Melbourne: from December 3; three weekly winter seasonal from Los Angeles on A350-900s. New to Delta's map. This route will become Delta's new third-longest service
United: flights to 16 more airports
As indicated below, the Star Alliance operator will introduce or reintroduce two-thirds of the 24 airports. Many of these—like Delta to Catania and Marrakech—are creative, different, and push boundaries.
They include well-discussed places like Nuuk, Kaohsiung, Palermo, and Ulaanbaatar. Two of these—Kaohsiung and Ulaanbaatar—will be served from Tokyo Narita, United's revived Asian hub.
Until October 2024, when it introduced Cebu service, United had not had intra-Asian operations for seven years. Passengers may connect to/from the mainland US.
Creative network choices also include Faro and Funchal in Portugal, meaning United will fly to five Portuguese airports for the first time. In pre-pandemic 2019, it only flew to two airports (Lisbon and Porto).
- Bilbao: from May 31; three weekly summer seasonal from Newark on 757-200ERs. New to United's network and the first time Bilbao has had North American flights
- Butte: from January 3; daily from Denver on SkyWest's CRJ200s. Last served in 2022
- Dakar: from May 24; three weekly from Washington Dulles on 767-300ERs. New to United's network. Benefits from Air Senegal's US exit
- Dominica: from February 13; weekly from Newark on 737-700s. New to United's network
- Faro: from May 17; four weekly summer seasonal from Newark on 757-200ERs. New to United's network. The Portuguese airport has never had US flights
- Four Corners/Farmington: from May 9; mainly daily from Denver on SkyWest's CRJ200s. Last served in 2012. United Express will be the airport's sole operator
- Funchal: from June 7; three weekly summer seasonal from Newark on 737 MAX 8s. New to United's network. Motivated by Azores Airlines ending Funchal-JFK flights in 2024
- Kaohsiung: from July 13; daily from Tokyo Narita on 737-800s. New to United's network. The last US airline to serve the Taiwanese city was Northwest in 2003
- Nuuk: from June 14; twice-weekly summer seasonal from Newark on 737 MAX 8s. New to United's network. Driven by Nuuk's longer runway and terminal development. The first US service from Greenland's capital
- Palermo: from May 21; three weekly summer seasonal from Newark on 767-400ERs. New to United's network
- Pellston: from May 8; mainly double daily summer seasonal from Chicago O'Hare on SkyWest's CRJ200s. New to United's network
- Puerto Escondido: from April 5; weekly from Houston Intercontinental on Mesa's E175s. New to United's map. It will be the Mexican destination's first US operation
- Regina: from May 15; daily from Denver on SkyWest's CRJ200s. Last served in 2015. United Express will be the only US operator in Regina after Delta Connection ended service in 2016
- Rhinelander: from May 22; mainly double daily summer seasonal from Chicago O'Hare on SkyWest's CRJ200s. Briefly served in 2021
- Sault Ste. Marie: from May 15; daily summer seasonal from Chicago O'Hare on SkyWest's CRJ200s. New to United's network
- Ulaanbaatar: from May 1; three weekly summer seasonal from Tokyo Narita on 737-800s. New to United's map. The first time a US carrier has served Mongolia
