American Airlines recently announced a significant change to its long-haul flight strategy, with plans to discontinue the New York JFK – Doha route after October 28th. This move is part of the airline's ongoing network reassessments, and on October 29th, the Doha service will be relocated to American Airlines' hub in Philadelphia.
The New York JFK – Doha route played a crucial role in connecting passengers to Lahore, Islamabad, and Dhaka through a partnership with Qatar Airways. The decision to relocate the service to Philadelphia was influenced by operational considerations in New York, particularly due to the dissolution of the Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue, which allowed American to adjust its New York capacity.
The new nonstop service from Philadelphia to Doha aims to leverage Philadelphia's status as American's primary transatlantic hub, providing improved travel options for passengers. The partnership with Qatar Airways will continue, ensuring seamless onward connections to destinations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
This move has also sparked speculation about aircraft selection for the Philadelphia-Doha route and potential responses from Qatar Airways. Despite previous tensions and disputes, American Airlines and Qatar Airways reestablished their codeshare relationship in 2020.
With the rerouting of its Doha flights through Philadelphia, American Airlines aims to offer passengers more convenient travel options to and from various destinations in the United States, given Philadelphia's strategic position as the primary transatlantic hub for the airline.