DALLAS- American Airlines (AA) executives consistently emphasize their growth strategy in the Sunbelt, focusing on their largest hubs, Charlotte (CLT) and Dallas (DFW). This strategy has expanded significantly in recent months but highlights a vulnerability in the airline’s network.
American has a strong presence in the Sunbelt but is weaker in the northern U.S. and on the West Coast, which puts it at a disadvantage against competitors like Delta Air Lines (DL) and United (UA).
American Airlines Dallas Hub
The regional emphasis on American’s network is becoming more apparent as its key hubs continue to grow, Forbes reported.
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport hosts the world’s largest single airline hub, with American operating 925 daily departures.
In comparison, Delta operates 830 daily departures from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (ATL) this summer. This is down from its pre-pandemic level of about 1,000 daily flights. The third-largest hub is Charlotte, where American manages 690 daily departures.
The aircraft at these hubs are generally larger than before the pandemic, with the Airbus A321 and newer Boeing 737 models replacing smaller planes, resulting in increased passenger capacity.
Catering to Regional Demand
Charlotte and Dallas also use a higher percentage of regional jets compared to Atlanta, which remains the world’s busiest airport by passenger volume, handling 102 million passengers in 2023 compared to Dallas’s 78 million.
Both Charlotte and Dallas are expanding their capacities. American will add four gates at Charlotte with the airport’s new Concourse A section, part of a $3.1 billion improvement project.
American will take over gates vacated by Delta, which has received new gates, bringing Charlotte’s total to 123 gates, with American using 91. The expansion doesn’t stop there; Charlotte City Council recently approved plans to add seven more Concourse A gates by 2029.
New Parallel Runway in 2027
Charlotte Douglas International Airport plans to add more gates to accommodate increased traffic when it opens a fourth parallel runway in 2027.
Currently, the airport can handle 87 arrivals and 87 departures per hour. The new runway will allow for at least 20 additional arrivals and departures per hour, representing a 23% boost in capacity.
This increase could be even higher with improvements in airfield efficiencies, such as optimized runway usage and enhanced taxi patterns, according to Jack Christine, the airport’s chief infrastructure officer.
What are your thoughts on American Airlines’ expansion and growing hubs? Let us know in the comments.
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