American adds new service to Provo, its 228th domestic city; will take on budget rivals

12.04.2024 - 14:11 / thepointsguy.com / Vasu Raja

American Airlines is adding a new domestic city to its route map.

The Fort Worth-based carrier announced on Thursday that it would open an outstation in Provo, Utah, on Oct. 7. American's regional affiliate SkyWest Airlines will fly three daily flights to Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) onboard the CRJ-700 regional jet; it features nine first-class seats, 12 Main Cabin Extra extra-legroom flights and 44 standard economy seats.

The airline will connect Provo with two of its major U.S. hubs. It'll fly two daily flights to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and one daily flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). American's new service will operate on a year-round basis.

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These new flights will be available for sale starting on April 22, and you'll find the breakdown of the flight schedule below this story.

"This new year-round service will offer convenient connections to destinations across the United States and the world on our comprehensive global network, giving local residents more ways to visit the places they want to visit most," Joe Sottile, director of domestic network planning, said in a statement about the move.

Adding Provo service aligns with American's recent strategy of investing in domestic connectivity. At the carrier's recent investor day last month, chief commercial officer Vasu Raja explained that American is looking to grow in smaller U.S. markets. Explaining how small cities contribute to American's bottom line, Raja said, "There is a large pool of high-growth, high-value customers whose air travel needs are simply not being met. That's where American Airlines comes in."

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The theory is that passengers based in smaller cities will choose to fly with American over its competitors because of American's global connectivity that connects to 350 destinations in more than 60 countries.

Provo, about 50 miles south of downtown Salt Lake City, hasn't historically been served by a major network carrier. For years, the city has been an operating base for ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air, which currently operates from Provo to 11 destinations, including Austin, Chicago and Phoenix, according to Cirium schedules.

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In 2022, new startup carrier Breeze Airways, which is headquartered in the suburbs south of Salt Lake City, launched service to Provo with service to three destinations: Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Francisco. It has since cut service to Las Vegas but added flights to Dallas-Fort Worth and Orange County,