American Airlines is expanding service next summer to make national parks more accessible, adding new seasonal routes to Montana and increasing flights to Alaska.
Starting in June 2020, American will operate three seasonal routes to Bozeman (BZN) from Philadelphia (PHL), Los Angeles (LAX) and New York City (LGA). The Los Angeles–Bozeman route will operate daily, while the Philadelphia and New York City departures will be offered on Saturdays. These services run through early September to accommodate summer travel to nearby national parks and outdoor destinations.
In addition, a new seasonal flight from New York City will serve Kalispell (FCA), Montana, giving travelers another gateway to Glacier National Park. For Alaska, American is adding more daily flights starting May 7, 2020: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Fairbanks (FAI) will operate daily through early October, and Chicago (ORD) will see daily service to both Fairbanks and Anchorage (ANC) during the same period.
Aircraft upgrades are planned for some of the Montana routes. Routes between Kalispell and both Dallas and Chicago will switch from the smaller Embraer E175, which seats 76 passengers, to the larger Boeing 737-800 with 160 seats. The change increases capacity and provides more options for travelers heading to the region.
“National parks are a huge attraction for many families,” said Vasu Raja, vice president of network and schedule planning at American Airlines. “As soon as school’s out next year, our customers will have more than 145 weekly flights to and from Montana to choose from. This summer, we launched three new flights to Glacier National Park in Kalispell, and, next summer, we’re expanding with more service to discover the natural wonders.”
These schedule additions reflect an effort to connect major hubs with popular outdoor destinations, offering travelers more convenient and frequent options for summer travel to Montana and Alaska. By increasing frequency and upgrading aircraft on select routes, American aims to better serve leisure travelers and families planning national park visits.