American Airlines adding 3 new international routes out of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Building on strong bookings this summer, American Airlines said Thursday it will add three new European destinations next summer and revive another international route that it last flew in 2019.

The announcement comes one day after Delta Air Lines said it will expand service to China later this year.

The news from two of the biggest U.S. carriers underscores the airline industry's confidence that its strong recovery from the pandemic will continue and that planes will remain packed.

American said that next summer it will add flights to Copenhagen, Naples and Nice, France - all new destinations for the airline - from Philadelphia. It plans to resume flights between Chicago and Venice that were dropped four years ago.

Flights to and from Nice and PHL will operate daily from May 6-October 5.

The Naples-PHL route will operate daily from June 5-October 25.

Service between Copenhagen and Philadelphia will operate daily from June 6-October 5.

The Fort Worth-based airline said it will also extend seasonal summer service on some transatlantic routes longer than in previous summers. Delta is doing something similar this year.

"As we approach the end of the peak summer travel season, we are beginning to shift our focus on what's ahead for PHL in 2024 and beyond," said Lakshman Amaranayaka, Vice President of PHL Hub Operations. "With these three new destinations, American will offer service to 14 European destinations nonstop from Philadelphia next year, marking our largest transatlantic schedule from PHL since 2019."

Atlanta-based Delta announced on Wednesday that it expand China service with 10 flights per week to Shanghai from Seattle and Detroit. International travel to and from China has been slower to recover than just about any other region due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.