American Airlines adds flights from DFW to Mexico and the Caribbean in a bid to boost summer travel – The Dallas Morning News

American Airlines is adding three new destinations from DFW International Airport in Latin America and the Caribbean as it tries to entice travelers back for vacation and family trips.

American is adding routes in June from DFW to St. Lucia and St. Martin in the Caribbean and Merida on Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula, areas of the tourism world that have somewhat resisted the downturn in travel as people seek more outdoor destinations and shorter-haul international flights.

The flights from DFW are part of a larger list of new routes announced Monday that significantly boosts flights from Americans Latin American and Caribbean hub in Miami, including an entirely new South American destination in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Latin America and the Caribbean havent declined as much as other destinations have throughout the course of the crisis, said Brian Znotins, Americans vice president of network planning. And this is our natural strength our presence in Latin America.

American Airlines and other carriers are struggling to bring customers back from the long and deep COVID-19 pandemic that has badly hurt domestic travel and obliterated traffic internationally. In response, American, United, Delta and even Southwest have leaned more heavily on Mexico and the Caribbean, along with warm weather destinations along the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Latin America has the added advantage of being popular among first- and second-generation immigrants to the United States wanting to return to their native countries to visit family and friends.

Were really adding frequencies to every destination in this region, Znotins said.

All three of the new routes from DFW will be offered on a seasonal basis starting in June and will only operate on Saturdays. The flights will end Aug. 14, but American plans to bring back the St. Lucia route next winter.

In the Caribbean, island governments are eager to bring back tourists and travelers and are aggressive in creating testing protocols and rules to allow airline passengers. Some resorts have even been footing the bill for customers who may get quarantined because of COVID-19 protocols.

Much of the added emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean boosts Americans hub in Miami, where it plans to increase flights by 16% compared to last year. But it also trickles down to DFW, a better gateway for Americans customers in the western United States, Great Plains and Mountain West regions.

New Latin America and Caribbean routes from DFW usually come as a supplement to the Miami hub, Znotins said.

American is also adding a handful of domestic routes in the U.S. to Miami from places including Little Rock, Ark., and Portland, Maine, to give better connections to the South and Central America regions.

Along with the new flights to Central and South America, American said it will also start flying from Miami to Tel Aviv, Israel, in June. The carrier will fly from DFW and New York to Tel Aviv starting in June.

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American Airlines adds flights from DFW to Mexico and the Caribbean in a bid to boost summer travel - The Dallas Morning News