American Airlines Applies To Fly JFK-Haneda Route, Adds Tulum To Network

American Airlines says it has formally applied to the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) to operate service between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), and also will become the third U.S. carrier to open flights to Mexico’s newest airport in 2024.

American will vie with United Airlines to secure slots at HND that Delta Air Lines is relinquishing. United has applied to DOT for permission to operate daily service to HND from Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport using a Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

American is asking for permission to operate daily flights between JFK and HND with a 777-200.

“American looks forward to presenting our competitive application to provide new and enhanced service to Tokyo's convenient Haneda Airport,” says Molly Wilkinson, American's vice president of regulatory and international government affairs. “This will be the only nonstop service from JFK to Tokyo operated by a U.S. airline.”

American’s Oneworld partner Japan Airlines currently flies between JFK and HND. American serves HND from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Los Angeles International Airport.

Meanwhile, American will launch flights in March 2024 to Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TQO)—the new airport in Tulum, Mexico, set to open in December 2023. The airline will offer year-round service to TQO from three airports: Charlotte, North Carolina (1X-daily); DFW (2X-daily); and Miami (1X-daily).

TQO will begin accepting international flights on March 28, 2024, when Spirit Airlines will launch service from Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Orlando International Airport, and Delta Air Lines will open flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. TQO, a leisure destination in Mexico located about 85 mi. south of Cancun, will see domestic flights begin in December before service by U.S. carriers commences in late March 2024.

“New flights to Tulum build on American's record winter service to nearby Cancun, where the airline operates up to 40 peak-day departures to 18 U.S. destinations,” American says in a statement.

Brian Znotins, American's senior vice president of network and schedule planning, adds: “With more flights to Tulum from the U.S. than any other airline, American will offer convenient nationwide connectivity to this popular vacation gem on the Riviera Maya.”