American Airlines
American Airlines or AA is a US-based airline with headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. Its hubs are Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, Miami International Airport and O’Hare International Airport. Focus cities include John F. Kennedy International Airport, La Guardia Airport, Logan International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
Based on passenger miles transported and passenger fleet size, American Airlines is considered the largest in the world, second to Air France-KLM in terms operating revenues and second to FedEx Express by aircraft operated. It is a subsidiary of AMR Corporation which also owns American Eagle Airlines, the regional service provider for American Airlines.
American Airways was a brand name used by a conglomeration of 82 small airlines that include Colonial Air Transport, Thompson Aeronautical Services, Universal Aviation, Southern Air Fast Express (SAFE) and Southern Air Transport.
On 25 January 1930, American Airways was incorporated as a single company and had its headquarters in New York.
When Errett Lobban “E. L.” Cord, considered a leader in US transportation industry, acquired American Airways Company in 1934, he renamed it to American Air Lines.
On 25 January 1959 using Boeing 707s, American Airlines commenced its first transcontinental jet service. In 1962, AA launched its electronic booking system, the Sabre, with IBM and upgraded its terminal in Idlewild (now JFK) Airport in New York City which was then the airline’s largest base.
American Airlines continued expanding during the 1980s and 1990s. It bought the assets of TWA’s operations at London Heathrow in 1990 and established a hub there.
In 1998, AA was the first airline to introduce electronic ticketing to all the 44 countries that they fly to. In 1999, it co-founded Oneworld, now the third largest airline alliance in the world. In 2004, the airline serviced 12.1 million passengers between the US and Latin America, more than any other airlines.
American Airlines’ current slogan is “We know why you fly.”
Domestic and International Destinations
American Airlines has 635 planes and flies to 161 destinations around the globe in four continents namely Asia, Europe, North America and South America. New routes are added in 2009 and these are Chicago O’Hare, Illinois to Montego Bay, Jamaica starting 31st of January and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas to Madrid, Spain commencing on 1st of May. In 2010, the route Chicago O’Hare, Illinois to Beijing, China will be available starting 4th of April.
International destinations include Beijing and Shanghai in China; Tokyo in Japan; Delhi in India; Brussels in Belgium; Paris in France; Frankfurt in Germany; Dublin in Ireland; Milan and Rome in Italy; Moscow in Russia; Barcelona and Madrid in Spain; Zurich in Switzerland; London and Manchester in United Kingdom; Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal in Canada; San Jose del Cabo; Mexico City, Acapulco, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Monterrey, Cancun and Cozumel in Mexico; San Juan in Puerto Rico; Saint Croix and Saint Thomas in US Virgin Islands; St. John’s in Antigua and Barbuda; Oranjestad in Aruba; Bridgetown in Barbados; Bermuda; Grand Cayman in Cayman Islands; La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santiago and Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic; St. George’s in Grenada; Port-au-Prince in Haiti; Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica; Willemstad in Curacao; Philipsburg in Saint Maarten; Basseterre in Saint Kitts and Nevis; Vieux Fort in Saint Lucia; Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago; Providenciales in Turks and Caicos Islands; Belize City in Belize; Liberia and San Jose in Costa Rica; San Salvador in El Salvador; Guatemala City in Guatemala; San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa in Honduras; Managua in Nicaragua; Panama City in Panama; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Within the US, American Airlines operates flights to Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Washington and Wyoming.
AAdvantage
American Airlines pioneered the frequent flyer programme by launching AAdvantage on 1 May 1981. It remains the largest loyalty program of such kind in the world with more than 50 million members in 2005.
It’s easy to earn miles through AAdvantage because of its extensive network that include credit and debit cards, hotels, financial services, real estate and mortgage, phone and internet, car rental, retail and gifts, dining and vacations and cruises. Accumulated miles can be redeemed for air tickets, class upgrades, discounts or freebies on partner establishments.
AAdvantage has three elite member levels: Gold, Platinum and Executive Platinum. Based on member status, benefits may include priority in check-in, standby and waitlisting; preferred seating, pre-boarding and boarding at leisure and entrance to Oneworld airlines’ first or business class airport lounges.
Oneworld
American Airlines co-founded Oneworld with British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas Airways. It now has 10 full and one pending members.
Based on member airlines’ frequent flyer programme, you can earn miles every time you travel on any eligible flights and fares of Oneworld alliance airlines. You may also redeem miles and choose among the alliance’s 675 destinations worldwide.
The alliance has more than 500 airline lounges around the globe. If you are a qualified top-tier member, you will be provided access to these lounges before departure no matter which Oneworld airline you’re flying.