Although we're only halfway through August, it's worth looking ahead to see domestic US widebody use in November and December, the first two full months of the winter season.

Domestic widebodies

As of August 18th, some 10,060 domestic widebody flights are planned by American, Delta, Hawaiian, and United this November and December, according to the latest Cirium data. However, it may change further as schedules are refined and potentially cut. After all, earlier this month, 34,000 US flights in November were removed, mainly by American.

10,060 twin-aisle flights mean between 134 and 194 daily, depending on the day. However, it's the lowest number since the pandemic struck, with flights at just 78% of what they were in the equivalent period in 2019. That's almost entirely because of American, whose planned widebody operation is at just 38% of what it had; has it fully loaded widebody schedules? In contrast, Delta is up by 7%.

Domestic US widebody flights
The changing volume of US domestic widebody flights. Source of data: Cirium.

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Over 10,000 fewer flights

Over half of domestic widebody flights were removed versus the two months last year. That was when airlines were, generally speaking, still heavily confronted by international restrictions and redeployed aircraft accordingly. Yes, the US reopened to people from multiple countries, including most of Europe, but many places, especially in Asia, remained off-limits. Even where access was possible, many restrictions remained in place.

Analyzing Cirium data shows that, in the last two months of 2021, international widebody service was at just 57% of pre-pandemic levels. Barring further changes, it'll be marginally above the 2019 level this coming November-December, at least partly explaining the shift in asset use. It may be influenced by American's shortage of widebodies.

An American Airlines Boeing 777-200 seen from above landing.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

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American's 13 widebody routes

While American has consistently been the second biggest US operator by domestic widebody use, behind United in 2019 and Delta in 2020 and 2021, it has slipped to fourth. That's right: even behind Hawaiian. But only one flight – just one – separates them, based on Cirium. Will it change further?

As of August 18th, the following routes will see American's twin aisles this November-December. They're scheduled and bookable. Because of the B787-8's important role on Miami-Los Angeles and Dallas-Miami, that variant is American's most used domestically.

  1. Miami to Los Angeles: up to 4x daily widebodies; B787-8, B787-9, B777-200
  2. Dallas Fort Worth to Honolulu: 2x daily; B787-9, B777-200, B787-8
  3. Dallas Fort Worth to Kahului: 2x daily; B787-9, B777-200
  4. Dallas Fort Worth to Miami: 2x daily; B787-8, B787-9 (twice), B777-200 (twice)
  5. Charlotte to Miami: 1x daily; B777-200
  6. Dallas Fort Worth to Chicago O'Hare: 1x daily; B787-8, B787-9
  7. Dallas Fort Worth to Los Angeles: B787-9
  8. Miami to Chicago O'Hare: 1x daily Nov. 3rd-29th; B787-9, B787-8 (once)
  9. Miami to New York JFK: 1x daily until November 29th; B777-200
  10. Phoenix to Honolulu: 1x daily from November 19th; B787-9
  11. Phoenix to Kahului: 1x daily from Nov. 19th; B787-9
  12. Philadelphia to Phoenix: 1x daily Nov. 3rd-29th; B787-8
  13. Dallas Fort Worth to Phoenix: just twice, Nov. 18th-19th; B787-9
American Airlines' domestic widebody routes Nov-Dec 2022
American Airlines' domestic widebody routes Nov-Dec 2022. Image: GCmap.

Phoenix to Philadelphia

Notice Phoenix-Philadelphia. While it's set to see limited widebody service in the year's penultimate month, it'll still be the most it's ever had. The B787-8 will be on AA474 to Arizona, leaving at 08:43 and arriving at 12:05 local (11:05 for the first three days). Returning, AA1571 will depart at 13:10 (12:10 for the first three days) and arrive in Pennsylvania at 19:33.

What widebody routes have you flown American? Let us know in the comments.