American Airlines Is Making Summer Travel Harder By Suspending These Flight Routes

Travelers heading to or from California at the end of summer on American Airlines may have an unexpected stop along the way. Per The Street, American will suspend six nonstop routes between August 5 and October 5, following in the footsteps of other airlines that have made flight cuts due to increasing fuel prices. American's schedule changes will largely affect travelers flying across the country, with LAX being hit hard. Routes affected include nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Washington Dulles, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Columbus. The other two routes being trimmed are flights to Charlotte from California's Ontario and Sacramento airports.

According to an airline spokesperson, "American is not suspending any routes indefinitely as part of this adjustment" and has "seasonally adjusted service on select routes in August and September as the airline refines its capacity growth for 2026," per The Street. American isn't the only airline cutting back flights this summer: According to Cirium data (via Business Insider), United has removed 21,000 flights, and Delta has cut over 7,000. Rising oil prices were also partially blamed for shutting down major budget-friendly airline Spirit earlier this spring. Per The Associated Press, jet fuel was at $99 at the end of February; by early June, the average price worldwide was $146 a barrel, according to IATA.

Fliers based in California are particularly hit hard, as the state tends to have higher jet fuel prices than other parts of the U.S. California relies on imported oil carried by tankers, and higher fuel prices may push airlines to trim longer, cross-country routes heading to or from the West Coast.

If you've been affected by the route cuts, you'll have the option of receiving a refund or taking a different flight to your destination. Instead of going nonstop across the country, you'll likely have to connect at one of American's major hubs: Chicago O'Hare, Phoenix Sky Harbor, or delay-prone Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Alternatively, you may be able to change your destination to a more convenient airport through the American Airlines app or by contacting a customer service representative. Besides LAX, American serves three other airports in the Los Angeles Area: John Wayne Airport (SNA), also known as Orange County Airport; Burbank Airport (BUR); and Ontario Airport (ONT). Some of these alternative airports are closer to some of California's top tourist hotspots (Burbank is closer to Hollywood and Orange County is closer to Disneyland, for example) than LAX.

In addition to summer travel being less convenient than in years past, it's also slated to be more expensive. Major airlines added higher checked bag fees, and prices for plane tickets have risen compared to previous years. Travelers looking to stretch their dollar further, or have more control (or even flexibility) in their itinerary, may want to consider a budget-friendly road trip. Explore beautiful stops along the Pacific Coast Highway if you are flying out to the West Coast. Meanwhile, travelers in the South and Midwest won't have to fly across the country to take in beautiful mountain scenes: One of America's most scenic byways runs through the heart of the Ozarks, crossing some of the most affordable states in the country, such as Arkansas and Missouri.