Starting June 11, 2014, American will launch nonstop daily service between Dallas and Hong Kong. Also as of June 11, 2014, American will launch daily service between Dallas and Shanghai, which will be the only nonstop service between Dallas and China. American will also begin retrofitting their 767-300 and 777-200 aircraft as of next year.
Continue reading: American Airlines announces service from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Hong Kong and Shanghai beginning Summer 2014
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
"so I would assume they’re installing a similar product to what they have on the 777-300ER."
The 767 isn't nearly as wide as the 777s, so it can't be the same product. Much narrower for sure.
This is awesome news, though I hope it's not too hard to get an upgrade using SWUs on the DFW-HKG route. I've been waiting for AA to fly to HKG (and with their newest biz product) for a while.
If I'm booked onto the JFK-HND flight after it gets cut, what do you think will happen?
That's fantastic news. I absolutely love CX F, which beats AA new and old F any day of the week. But when you're talking CX J vs AA new J...I actually give the edge to AA for the superior soft product, especially with respect to food service.
Btw Lucky, your title says Beijing but the post refers to service to Shanghai...
Hi Lucky, you title says DFW to HKG+Beijing, but in the body reads DFW-SHANGHAI, I assume it is DFW-PVG? Or there will be DFW-PEK as well
Any idea who will get that Haneda slot? That was a contentious issue a couple of years back.
Looking forward to the trip report some day from the 16+ hour flight to Hong Kong! Hmmm... how many menus and movies does that add up to? 😉
Any idea what will happen to passengers already booked on the HND-JFK flight? Was ticketed to fly that first class in December.
I am waiting for AA to fly to HK for a couple years, finally, here it comes. I think AA should really get more flights to Southeast Asia, including China and SIN.
This is great news (except for the HND part, which I've always been tempted to try out for a weekend trip to Japan).
@Charles: SIN is tough to do non-stop from the US (look at how SQ is axing their nonstops from EWR/LAX), and AA doesn't operate a 5th freedom hub at NRT like UA/DL do, so it probably makes more sense to shift passengers onwards to JL/CX.
Ben- Did you finally give up your status with United or do you still retain some level?
[…] One Mile at a Time and View from the Wing both mention that Haneda service (from JFK) is being axed, leaving Japan Airlines’ flight as the only oneworld service to Tokyo from New York. Interestingly, their webpage announcing the new service to Asia still lists this route as on-going. […]
To add to Gary's point, I'm thinking they'll use the same seats in the A321 in the 767.
"CX J vs AA new J…I actually give the edge to AA for the superior soft product, especially with respect to food service. "
Really? that remains to be seen.
Since '11 I started focusing on AA because of CX flies to HKG.
Unless I live in DFW and want a non stop flight there is no way I would trade a flight in CX to fly AA for almost 17 hours. I prefer to connect to a CX hub and enjoy 17 hours of the amazing Asian service rather than the rude and old American FAs. They will probably feed you within 1 hour after the flight takes off and play the "go sleep and don't bother me" until they are forced to serve you food again. No thank you!!!!
Just want to clarify that the new American Airlines nonstops are between DFW and Shanghai, not Beijing, and between DFW and Hong Kong. It is correct in the article, but not in the title.
Gutted about the HND cut. Was planning a quick trip from my home in NYC to Tokyo in January and with low fees found it to be an excellent AA redemption opportunity. The arrival time was a bit awkward, though.
Not very excited about any AA HKG routes as long as CX exists.
well said Santastico. the old & mad us FAs are forced to come back/stay & work because they cant retire in this economy. in asia the 40+ has to go & make room for young & eager ones to come in, regardless of the economy the large population forces early departure from job. my gf just hit 40 & is thinking about retirement in a couple of yrs.
Lucky,
Are you still pursuing status with United or you are done with them. They seem to have more options for Asia travel.
@DJ: Just to clarify that I am not getting in to the topic of economy, retirement, work conditions, etc.... My point is that if my company is paying around $10k for me to fly biz class for almost 17 hours I rather have the Asian service than the American one. I myself flew dozens of times to Asia on biz class and I could fly from my home airport direct to Tokyo and make one connection to another Asian city on Delta or fly from my home airport to LAX or SFO and from there fly Cathay, Singapore, Thai, etc... I always chose to fly to the west coast and fly an Asian airline. Again, that is my preference if I have a choice.
hopefully a good summer price for a mile run and hopefully additional mileage promo. I believe last time PVG was triple mile from LAX.
Bummer re the HND routes but agreed that the times were less than ideal. Does anyone know if another airline is flying from any of the NYC area airports nonstop to HND? I read that ANA received additional slots at HND recently (much to JALs dismay) but it wasn't clear how they would utilize them.
The slot allocation that was announced a couple of weeks ago was for Europe and Asia routes only. There will be some new slots for daytime HND-US flights next year but they have not been allocated yet. Most likely another set of four for Japanese carriers and four for US carriers.
"Also as of next summer, American will launch daily service between Dallas and Shanghai, which will be the only nonstop service between Dallas and China." Ben, you're not helping improve the rest of the World's opinion of Americans as being geographically challenged; Hong Kong is actually part of China & has been since 1997.
BA flies LHR-HND but the flight times are similarly horrible. Ridiculously early arrival and departure in Japan.
@ Gary -- Agree it'll probably be a staggered business class product. That being said I suppose it's not totally out of the question in a 1-1-1 configuration, though certainly unlikely.
@ AJ @ Dave -- I suspect you'll be given the option to be rebooked on one of their flights to Narita instead. Hopefully they'll offer some compensation for the inconvenience.
@ Fan -- Sorry, it was a typo on my part. It is indeed Shanghai service and not Beijing service.
@ Carl -- It was indeed a contentious issue a few years back, though my sense is that now there isn't much competition for the slots anymore as the longhaul flights don't seem to be performing especially well.
@ Corey -- American still has service to Tokyo Narita from Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
@ Jason -- Historically they've often offered bonus redeemable miles on new routes (typically either double miles or a fixed bonus), which I expect we'll see here. I doubt we'll see bonus EQMs, though.
@ Santastico -- Ultimately I agree that Cathay Pacific has a far superior onboard soft product than American, though:
1) American has wifi.
2) The benefit of flying with American is that if you book coach you can upgrade to business class and if you book business class you can upgrade to first class.
I seem to recall that AA pilots have (or had) negotiated a 16-hour cap on flights. It was part of the discussion when Qantas added DFW-Sydney flights a while back (i.e. explaining why AA wouldn't be flying the route). Any idea whether the policy/agreement has changed, or am I misremembering?
The current longest 77W service is Emirates' direct flight from DXB-LAX. The city pair has a even longer great-circle distance than DFW-HKG by about 400km.
It seems EK is doing well enough on this route that they're up-gauging it to the A380, or maybe it's in their plans all along.
@thomas
Emirates gets subsidies, so of course they can operate longer haul flights and turn a profit compared to non subsidized airlines like AA, DL, UA, etc.
As a DFW resident I am thrilled by the new HKG service announcement. I love flying CX F, but there is a lot to be said for non-stop flights and I can't wait to try the AA flight next fall!
@Alan - I would say that your "pedantic" point is more than debatable. Hong Kong is indeed a SAR of China and has been since 1997. However HK has its own flag, currency, stock market, and maintains a capitalist economic system. HK residents need a visa to enter China and vice versa. Also, ask a Hong Konger if they consider themselves to be Chinese...until they do I will consider Shanghai as DFW's only route to China as Lucky wrote.
@Brad - I suspect the Chinese Government doesn't have any doubt that HK is part of China but, hey, as an American, who cares what the Chinese Government or the rest of he World thinks, right? 'Murica, yeah!
This is awesome news. Another option with AA points to go to Asia will be great.
@Alan - I am pretty confident Brad is more accurate on this one. The relationship between Hong Kong and Chona is officially one country, two systems but it runs much deeper. If asked, most i will say they are from Hong Kong. Never will they say from china. Even in my own family I have uncles that say they are from Hong Kong whereas my mom says she is from china. Where they were born and grew up. I see it akin to the USA and any of its territories like PR or US Virgin Islands.
Hong Kong residents do technically need a 'home return permit' and not a visa. They can not even use their SAR passport to enter China. Taiwanese get a Mainland Travel Permit at arrival.
Finally American is responding to customers in the Lower Midwest that want to use other alternatives other than Chicago and fly to the west coast and spend the majority of your waking day (8 Hours minimum) to fly to the same destination, that got kinda old and now our prayers have been answered.I can't wait to fly this route next fall.
@ hsw25 - Cathay Pacific has a much better soft product. American service is hit or miss, but Cathay's is always top banana. Also they have better catering (sometimes) and inflight entertainment.
Can't wait to take this soon. So glad to have more direct options to Asia from my city!
Hello,
Thank you for this article. I have never flown international. Does the plane fly over the Pacific Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean?
I have to agree that CP has overall superior product rated 5 stars with excellent Cabin classes, cabin service, food, and in-flight entertainment system.
The AA DFW to HKG 777-300ER business class over CP was AOL on the
cabin service & food, other then that AA offer an excellent product to HKG.
CP has a over priced premium economy coach class requirement
that is needed for the upgrade to business class.
American Airlines has superior cabin upgrade options then CP.
Thanks for including an economy class fare in your blog, Ben -- I had started to think that those of us with fewer miles/less money were considered inferior. (By the way, does anybody know of any blogs that feature us less-well-heeled?).
It's illuminating/illustrative/etc... to read how the other half (one-hundredth?) live, but the rest of us could use some advice on how we could make the best use of our scant miles (we Canadians -- and, I'd imagine, others) are excluded from virtually all of the sign-up bonuses and our hard-earned dough can only afford us seats below decks.