Starting this August, American Airlines is bolstering its schedule with another flight from Chicago to Southern California. Using a Boeing 737-800, the airline will connect Ontario with its O'Hare hub. Though not a new airport for American, the new route represents the importance of American's domestic network and the higher demand for travel to and from Southern California.
American Airlines adds new nonstop service to Ontario
Starting on August 17th, American Airlines will launch twice-daily flights between Ontario International Airport (ONT) To Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
The new flights will operate with the following schedule (all times are local):
- AA877 departs ONT for ORD at 11:40 and arrives at 17:48
- AA910 departs ONT for ORD at 23:30 and arrives at 05:38
- AA977 departs ORD for ONT at 09:55 and arrives at 12:14
- AA910 departs ORD for ONT at 20:20 and arrives at 22:39
Flight 910 will operate as a red-eye service from Ontario to Chicago.
Mark Thorpe, CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), stated the following:
“It is welcome news that American and other air carriers are including Ontario in their recovery plans, but it is not a surprise. Ontario was the fastest growing U.S. airport before the COVID-19 pandemic’s sudden and severe impact on global air travel. It is now the fastest-recovering airport in California and the third-quickest to restore flight services in the U.S.”
American's existing flights from Ontario
ONT is not a new airport in American's network. The airline already flies between Ontario and Phoenix Airport (PHX) with a mix of mainline and regional jets. American also flies mainline jets out to its largest hub at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW).
This will take the airline's overall destinations served out of Ontario to three cities. All of these cities are major American Airlines hubs, which makes these flights primed for connections. Passengers will be able to access a large array of domestic and international connections beyond both hubs.
Chicago O'Hare has received some love from American in the form of new domestic network additions. Although great for transatlantic connections, ORD is also a fantastic hub for getting East-to-West, and vice versa, traffic. Think routes with no nonstop service, such as between Ontario and Pittsburgh.
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The aircraft
On services to Chicago, American Airlines will use a Boeing 737-800 for all flights. This will be one of the airline's retrofitted Boeing 737-800s, which have room for 172 passengers. This includes 16 in recliner-style domestic first class, 30 in extra-legroom economy, and 126 in standard economy.
The retrofitted jets feature access to power. Passengers will need it since, to access entertainment, American has a "bring your own device" policy, where you can then either stream an array of inflight content or else connect to the internet for a fee.
Ontario International Airport
Located in the Los Angeles-area, ONT is another major airport that serves both passengers and cargo carriers. However, the airport is more than just a domestic airport with some international services, such as Avianca's new flights to El Salvador from the airport starting up this July.
China Airlines also operates Boeing 777-300ER flights between Ontario and Taiwan. However, those flights are currently suspended due to the pandemic.
Not international, but an exciting new route, Hawaiian Airlines will launch flights from Ontario to Honolulu starting on March 17th. Those flights will run using Airbus A320neo aircraft and will be Ontario's only nonstop service to Hawaii.
Are you glad to see American Airlines add a new flight from Ontario? Let us know in the comments!