If you're looking to get to Italy in style this summer, American Airlines has a first-class option for you.
The Fort Worth-based carrier filed plans over the weekend to upgauge its New York-to-Rome route to be operated by the 304-seat Boeing 777-300ER during the peak summer season, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
American plans to fly two daily flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) from June 5 to Oct. 25. Most of those frequencies will now be operated by the Boeing 777-300ER, as you can see below:
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter.
American's largest jet, the 777-300ER, is unique because it is the carrier's only wide-body plane with a first-class cabin. It features eight first-class pods, 52 business-class lie-flats, 28 premium economy recliners and 216 economy seats — 28 of which are in an extra-legroom configuration.
(The carrier plans to retrofit the Boeing 777-300ER fleet by replacing the existing first- and business-class cabins with a new business-class suite. These retrofits aren't supposed to start until after the summer, so travelers can still enjoy the first-class product for a few more months.)
Meanwhile, the smaller Boeing 777-200ER seats 31 fewer passengers, with a smaller 37-seat business-class cabin, 24-seat premium economy cabin and 212-seat economy cabin.
As such, this upgauge represents a big increase in premium capacity to Italy — a move that's likely to appeal to deep-pocketed leisure travelers planning a summer vacation to Rome (and beyond). It might also result in more saver-level award and upgrade availability on this route during the summer.
American's first-class product may not win many awards, but it's certainly among the best commercial options for getting from New York to Rome nonstop this summer. There are just eight first-class pods arranged in a 1-2-1 layout at the pointy end of this jet, and the seats are unique in that they can convert into a desk mode to help you focus on work.
There's not much privacy in this cabin, but the beds are the best you'll find on a U.S. carrier. (Those looking for the fanciest way to get to Italy should check out Emirates' fifth-freedom flight from New York to Milan, operated by the double-decker Airbus A380.)
But for American, this move is part of a larger expansion planned for Italy service this summer. Perhaps the biggest news is that the airline is opening a new outstation in Naples for its new nonstop from Philadelphia that takes off on June 5.
The airline will also resume service from Chicago to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) on June 5; it'll extend the seasonal
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) joined representatives from ITA Airways and the Consul General of Italy in Chicago to celebrate the launch of the carrier’s new service from O’Hare International Airport to Rome-Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) in the Italian capital.
Attention, Alaska Airlines elite members: If you are an MVP Gold 75K or 100K elite member, check your email inbox for your systemwide American Airlines upgrade vouchers.
Turkish Airlines plans to launch a new U.S. destination this summer. On June 11, the Istanbul-based carrier will launch nonstop flights from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Istanbul Airport (IST).
The Riviera Maya in Mexico has long been an unquestionable destination favorite, lined with dozens of beachfront resorts and a lively nightlife scene. But travelers yearning for a more laidback, bohemian vibe can now fly further south into Tulum’s brand-new Felipe Carrilo Puerto International Airport (TQO), which welcomed its first-ever international flights just last week.
Last year, my husband and I splurged on round-trip first-class tickets on Japan Airlines from San Francisco to Tokyo for $13,474 each. We reserved them in February for an October flight through American Express Travel. On the same day, I also bought business class tickets for a couple who was traveling with us at $8,429 apiece. In September, Amex notified me that we had been downgraded to business class for the return flight. JAL’s conditions state that we would receive “the difference between the normal fare amount of original class of service and for the normal fare of lower class of service.” To me that means that since the difference between our first class seats and our friends’ business seats was $5,045 each, we should be refunded about half of that — around $2,522 per person — for the second leg. But we got only $941 each. I contested this with Amex Travel, but they rejected our claim. Can you help?
The Hungarian gateway continues efforts to culminate an extensive network which now encompasses 122 cities and 130 airports, served by 39 airline partners.
American Airlines is making it easier to travel with pets, changing its policy to allow travelers to bring a free carry-on bag in addition to their furry friend.