American is cutting 50,000 summer flights

Our condolences to those of you that fly American. It looks like your summer trip could be in jeopardy. The Texas-based carrier is cutting 50,000 summer flights in key US hubs. 

The move comes as a major surprise given that in January, the airline’s executives said they will offer between five and eight percent more seats than the previous year. It’s also a bit odd given that summer travel is expected to be in full force with high demand from travelers.

So, why have flights been cut?

Even though travel demand is expected to be scorching hot this summer, airlines like American are still facing staffing and scheduling challenges. There is still a widespread pilot shortage as well as aircraft delivery delays. So, even though airlines like American set their summer schedules about a year in advance, those schedules can change when issues like those arise.

“We are now publishing our final schedule approximately 100 days in advance,” an airline spokesperson shared with AFAR. This does technically follow common industry practice, but it doesn’t help those of us who like to book early.

The move by American is especially a bummer given that they’ve also recently changed their pricing structure.

Where have flights been cut?

Most of the time when airline cuts happen, it usually affects the smaller hubs where most people don’t fly. However, these 50,000 cuts affect some major airports. Chicago O’Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth are seeing the largest cuts. Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Phoenix are also seeing significant reductions.

Should travelers be worried?

Don’t be worried. Be prepared.

Keep a close eye on your reservation and monitor any changes. If your flight does indeed get changed, it will usually be changed to an alternate route. If you aren’t satisfied with the change, call your airline and ask for a different route option or a full refund. 

If you’re really worried, consider booking your summer travel with travel insurance. You might even have a credit card sitting in your wallet right now that gives you free travel insurance when you book with that card.