5,000+ Miles: What Are American Airlines' Longest US-Europe Routes? (2024)

After a massive downturn in travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, American vacationers are making up for all the hours of lockdowns and travel restrictions by flocking to Europe in record numbers. With flights to Europe in demand and an expected 13 million Americans planning a European vacation for the busy summer season, an estimated 57,000 flights will depart from United States airports and head to Europe.

Photo: American Airlines

The world's largest carrier, American Airlines, has seen its numbers tick up. In anticipation of a record-breaking 2024 summer, American Airlines is starting three new European routes and bringing back flights between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Italy.

American Airlines has three new routes to Europe from the USA

American Airlines new European routes for the summer of 2024 are from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to:

• Copenhagen Airport Kastrup (CPH) in Denmark
• Naples-Capodichino International Airport (NAP) in Italy
• Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) in France.

Also new for summer are flights between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) in Spain. Barcelona is the largest cruise ship port in the Mediterranean, with seven terminals handling more than three million cruise ship passengers per year.

When speaking about American Airlines' new European routes in a company statement, the carrier's Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, Brian Znotins said:

"American is thrilled to add three new European destinations. A new service from Philadelphia and expanded transatlantic service from Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth will offer customers convenient one-stop access from more than 200 unique destinations across the US to Europe next summer."

American Airlines longest US to Europe routes

Of America Airlines routes to Europe from the United States this summer, using data provided by the world's most trusted source of aviation analytics, Cirium, America Airlines' longest European routes for August 2023 are:

1 - DFW to FCO (5,614 miles)

On the 5,614-mile route between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), American Airlines has 15,951 seats available in each direction. For the 10 hr 30 min flight, American Airlines has no non-stop competition.

2 - ORD to ATH (5,463 miles)

On the 5,463-mile route between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), American Airlines has 8,835 seats available in each direction. For the 10 hr 15 min flights, American Airlines' only non-stop competition is United Airlines.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

3 - LAX to LHR (5,456 miles)

On the 5,456-mile route between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR), American Airlines has 27,311 seats available in each direction. For the 10 hr 25 min non-stop flight, American Airlines has non-stop competition from British Airways, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.

4 - PHX to LHR (5,271 miles)

On the 5,271-mile route between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR), American Airlines has 8,463 seats available in each direction. For the 10-hour, 5-minute flight, American Airlines has nonstop competition from British Airways.

5 - DFW to BCN (5,195 miles)

On the 5,195-mile route between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN), American Airlines offers 1,092 seats in each direction.

6 - DFW to FRA (5,143 miles)

On the 5,143-mile route between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Frankfurt Airport (FRA), American Airlines has 8,229 seats available in each direction. For the 10 hr 5 min non-stop flight, American Airlines only competitor offering non-stop flights between DFW and FRA is German national flag carrier Lufthansa.

7 - PHL to ATH (5,035 miles)

On the 5,035-mile route between Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), American Airlines has 7,509 seats available in each direction. For the 9 hr 25 min flight, American Airlines has no non-stop competition.

American Airlines is to suspend some flights between the USA and Europe

Elsewhere, on American Airlines flights between the United States and Europe, the legacy carrier announced that it would be scaling back flights to Europe because of delivery delays with Boeing. American Airlines was supposed to be taking delivery of six Boeing 787 Dreamliners, an aircraft that American Airlines uses for many of its European routes. Instead of six, American Airlines will only receive three Boeing 787 Dreamliners in 2024, with the Seattle planemaker blaming a shortage for the delays.

American Airlines routes that will be affected are:

• Starting September 3, 2024:
  • Seasonal flights between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) will be suspended.
  • Some flights between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) will be suspended until the summer of 2025.
  • American Airlines will suspend flights between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN). The flights will be reinstated for the summer of 2025.
• Starting October 5, 2024, flights between Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) will be suspended.
• Starting October 26, 2024, American Airlines will suspend all flights between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and Dublin Airport. Previously, American Airlines operated yearly flights between Dallas, Rome, and Dublin.