After years of pouring resources into Dallas, Charlotte, Miami and a renewed push at Chicago O'Hare, American Airlines says its next project is Los Angeles. Chief commercial officer Nat Pieper told the Skift Aviation Forum in New York that the carrier will add service from LAX as part of a "gradual build" at its West Coast hub, with a schedule tailored to the local market rather than just routing connecting traffic through the airport.
The context matters. American's flying at LAX is still down about 32% compared with 2019, according to Cirium data, while rivals have charged ahead. Delta has become the airport's largest carrier and plans its biggest-ever LAX schedule next year, backed by serious infrastructure including two Delta One Lounges. United's network chief Patrick Quayle said outright in March that he dislikes being No. 2 in Los Angeles and intends to overtake Delta there.
LAX is uniquely contested: it's the only US airport where all three legacy carriers run hubs. American's long-haul offering from the airport is currently thin — just London, Tokyo, Sydney and Auckland. Pieper acknowledged that Los Angeles travellers want nonstops to Latin America, Europe and Asia on American's own metal, and said the airline needs a longer list of unique destinations to win them over. For comparison, United already flies to more than a half-dozen transpacific cities from Southern California and adds Osaka next year, while Delta has launched Hong Kong and Melbourne recently with Manila to follow in 2027.
Growth on the ground is tied to construction. American consolidated its LAX footprint to allow a rebuild of Terminal 5, and the airline expects its new facilities — with 30 gates — to be ready in late 2028. Until then, expansion will stay measured, though American points to partnerships with Qantas and Japan Airlines as part of the eventual pitch.
Why does this matter to travellers? If you fly in or out of Southern California, more American flights should mean better schedules, more one-stop options to Asia and beyond, and a sparkier fare battle among three big airlines — usually good news for prices. If you redeem miles, a rebuilt Terminal 5 with proper lounges should upgrade the pre-flight experience from 2029. Just don't expect dramatic new routes overnight; the airline itself says the build will be gradual.
