American Airlines plans to add flights to China, joining rivals

The three largest US airlines plan to more than double the number of flights to China in the coming months as they take advantage of a deal between the nations to ease pandemic-era travel restrictions. American Airlines Group Inc. said Wednesday it would add three weekly flights between Dallas and Shanghai early next year. The decision came after rivals Delta and United Airlines disclosed plans for new and expanded US-China routes in the coming months. The carriers are rushing back into the transpacific market after the US Transportation Department on Friday said the limit on flights between the countries would increase in each of the next two months. In total, the three companies — which currently operate just four weekly flights apiece to China — have proposed adding 19 more by the end of January, pending regulatory sign-off. The tentative plans exceed the flying limits announced by US officials, suggesting some of the new flights might not be approved. Large airlines are capitalizing on a surge in international travel, countering soft domestic demand, as more countries relax restrictions put in place in recent years. Travel to Asia has been slower to rebound than the European market, and flights to China have particularly been restricted by the Transportation Department. “These additional frequencies reflect China finally returning to a more normalized international market,” said John Grant, chief data analyst for OAG, which provides global travel information. Flying to visit relatives and friends in the two countries will likely fuel more travel than corporate demand for at least the short term. <br/>