American Reshapes LAX Map, Revives Grand Junction Route

American Airlines is redrawing its Los Angeles route map. The carrier announced changes covering nine routes at Los Angeles International Airport on November 13: one revived route, two routes moving to more regular service, extra daily flights to four major cities, and two cuts. Most of the growth starts May 27, and all of it is aimed at winning more Los Angeles-based flyers.

The headline return is Grand Junction, Colorado. American last flew LAX to Grand Junction Regional Airport in 2021, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. The route comes back as seasonal regional service from May 27 through August 9, flown with a Bombardier CRJ700. In 2027, it will effectively replace American's flight to Aspen, whose airport will be closed next summer for construction.

Two more western routes get firmer footing. Reno, Nevada, flights will operate year-round, three times a day beginning May 27. Bozeman, Montana, service returns on a seasonal basis over the same May 27 to August 9 window. Both routes will fly the Embraer 175 regional jet.

The added frequencies go to the biggest markets. Denver, Las Vegas and Seattle will all get additional daily flights starting next spring. Washington Dulles gets the largest single change: American will double its daily service on the route starting in May, making twice-daily Dulles flying a stronger complement to its cross-country service from nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The cuts land in February, before any of the growth starts. American will end its LAX route to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport effective February 11, and it will end service to Des Moines, Iowa, the same day. Travelers booked on either route after that date will need the airline's rebooking options, a connection through another American hub, or another carrier.

The announcement follows the strategy American's executives laid out a day earlier. Speaking Thursday at the Skift Aviation Forum in New York, chief commercial officer Nat Pieper said the airline would aim to offer more flights from LAX to major U.S. cities. "We're going to grow and we're going to invest in the local market," he said. American's LAX flying still sharply lags what it offered in 2019, and Pieper said the expansion will be gradual, ramping up as infrastructure work at LAX progresses over the next two years.