American Announces New Routes From Chicago and Los Angeles, Including to Hawaii

American Airlines has announced a set of new routes from both Chicago (ORD) and Los Angeles (LAX) that will begin later this year.

The most exciting of all, however, is a new nonstop to Hawaii, which will certainly be welcomed by flyers looking to head to the Aloha State. It’s also the latest set of moves in AA’s ongoing turf with United Airlines.

Let’s look at all the details!

American’s New Routes From Chicago and L.A.

American Airlines is adding several new routes from Chicago (ORD) and Los Angeles (LAX), many of which will start in time for the busy summer travel season.

Here’s a look at what’s coming:

Tickets for all of these new routes will go on sale on January 26, 2026, via aa.com or the American Airlines mobile app (iOS, Android).

Best Ways To Book

It’s great to see American bolster its networks out of Chicago and Los Angeles, but one of these routes stands out: the nonstop flight between O’Hare and Maui. Hawaii is a perennially popular destination, and even though it’s a seasonal route, it will certainly be popular among Chicagoans heading there around the holidays.

If you’re interested in booking with your points and miles, you have a few options. The first, of course, is to use American’s own AAdvantage program. Unfortunately, it now uses a dynamic pricing model, so the cost of award tickets varies based on cash pricing, which we don’t yet know. Expect prices to Hawaii to balloon around the holidays.

If you’re gearing up to book, there are fortunately plenty of ways to earn American AAdvantage miles to redeem for flights. There are several American Airlines co-branded credit cards available from 2 issuers that offer sizable welcome bonuses. Additionally, you can transfer Citi ThankYou Points to the AAdvantage program at a 1:1 ratio if you have an eligible Citi credit card. Alternatively, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American at a 3:1 ratio.

However, American Airlines flights can also be booked through a number of other programs, including partners like British Airways Club and Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards.

Final Thoughts

American is looking toward summer and beyond with its latest round of new routes from Chicago and Los Angeles. It signals a continuation of the buildup the carrier started in the Windy City last year, and the new LAX routes will serve as important connections for people in major markets on the opposite side of the country.

If you’re interested in any of these, you can get booking next week!