Northern carriers will switch to summer schedules based on IATA slot seasons on March 30. On this day, American Airlines will increase Dallas/Fort Worth to London Heathrow departures to a record five daily. It will become the carrier's most-served long-haul route.
Even more significantly, examining Cirium Diio data shows that none of its long-haul links has had that frequency for 12 years.
Flights will rise to five daily because fellow oneworld and transatlantic joint venture partner British Airways will temporarily cease flying to the Texas hub on March 29, ending its Airbus A380 service to Texas. When it returns in late October, it'll deploy the Boeing 777-200ER, although this could change.
American's most-served long-haul route
Cirium Diio shows that the world's largest airline will have over 70 long-haul international routes during the northern aviation summer season (March 30-October 25). They include 10 routes to Heathrow, the world's leading airport for long-haul flights.
Of its 70+ route network, only one will have five or more daily takeoffs: Dallas/Fort Worth to Heathrow.
During winter 2024/2025, American served the airport pair, which covers 4,128 nautical miles (7,645 km) each way, three to four daily.
Until now, the market has not had more than four daily flights. Schedule analysis shows that it first had this frequency in June 2012, when the 767-300ER (since retired from its fleet) and 777-200ER were deployed.
On March 30, American will switch to five daily Dallas/Fort Worth-Heathrow flights for the first time. However, 37 days in May and June will revert to four daily.
American will offer its record frequency to compensate for the shortfall caused by BA ending the route for the summer.
American's frequency will remain five daily until October 25 (Heathrow departure), after which it will return to four because BA will return on October 26.
What is the schedule?
American's new summer schedule is as follows, with all times local. The additional service is indicated in bold.
The 12:45 arrival at Europe's busiest airport will be its fifth-latest landing there. Phoenix will be next at 12:50, Dallas/Fort Worth at 14:25, Los Angeles at 16:05, and New York JFK at 21:40. The latter is American's only daytime Europe-bound flight.
|
Flight number/aircraft |
Dallas/Fort Worth-Heathrow times (local) |
Flight number/aircraft |
Heathrow-Dallas/Fort Worth times (local) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
AA50 (777-300ER) |
15:10-06:25+1 |
AA51 (777-300ER) |
08:20-12:25 |
|
AA20 (777-300ER) |
17:45-09:00+1 |
AA21 (777-300ER) |
10:30-14:50 |
|
AA80 (777-300ER) |
19:35-10:50+1 |
AA79 (777-300ER) |
12:00-16:20 |
|
AA154 (777-200ER) |
21:20-12:45+1 |
AA153 (777-200ER) |
15:10-19:30 |
|
AA78 (777-300ER) |
22:59-14:25+1 |
AA81 (777-300ER) |
16:25-20:39 |
American's top long-haul routes: July
Focusing on July 2025 shows that American's long-haul routes with two or more daily departures will be as follows. Of course, this may vary at other times. Aircraft are stated in order of use.
- Dallas/Fort Worth to Heathrow: five daily (777-300ER/777-200ER)
- New York JFK to Heathrow: four daily (777-300ER/777-200ER)
- Charlotte to Heathrow: triple daily (777-200ER/777-300ER)
- Chicago O'Hare to Heathrow: triple daily (787-9)
- Los Angeles to Heathrow: double daily (777-200ER/777-300ER)
- Los Angeles to Tokyo Haneda: double daily (787-8)
- Miami to Buenos Aires: double daily (777-200ER/787-8)
- Miami to Heathrow: double daily (777-300ER)
- Miami to São Paulo Guarulhos: double daily (777-300ER/787-8)
- Philadelphia to Heathrow: double daily (787-9)
This route had six daily flights...
Analyzing every American long-haul service since 2004 shows that New York JFK to Heathrow once had six daily takeoffs (it might have had more before then, but this is uncertain). It last had that many precisely 17 years ago, on March 28, 2008.
On that day, the flights, all aboard the 777-200ER, left the Big Apple at 09:20, 19:15, 19:45, 20:35, 22:05, and 23:59. They departed from the UK at 08:30, 09:55, 12:00, 15:35, 17:30, and 19:00.
