American Airlines maintains single West Coast hub amid competitive pressures

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American Airlines maintains single West Coast hub amid competitive pressures

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American Airlines | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Feb 3, 2025

American Airlines operates only one major hub on the West Coast, located at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This distinguishes it from competitors like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, both of which have multiple hubs in the region. American's limited presence on the West Coast impacts its ability to operate a large number of transcontinental and transpacific flights.

While American does maintain a secondary hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, this location serves more as a regional hub for operations in the Mountain West rather than a gateway for Pacific travel. In contrast, United has major hubs at San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, while Delta maintains strong presences at LAX and Seattle/Tacoma International Airport.

American's market share at LAX is approximately 14.95%, slightly below that of Delta Air Lines and comparable to United Airlines, despite being its sole Pacific hub. The airline has focused on building its network around hubs in the Sun Belt region, including Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Miami International Airport.

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Historically, American attempted to establish a second West Coast hub following its acquisition of AirCal in 1988 by setting up operations at San Jose Airport (SJC). However, infrastructure limitations and declining demand led to the closure of this hub. The airline subsequently concentrated resources on more profitable locations due to financial challenges faced in the 2000s.

Despite past efforts to expand its presence on the West Coast, American Airlines appears unlikely to pursue establishing another major hub in the region soon.