American Airlines Expands New Routes from LaGuardia, Reviving Charleston and Myrtle Beach Services

American Airlines (AA) is expanding its services from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Summer 2025, adding two new flight routes and reviving a popular route that was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airline's expansion is part of its broader strategy to enhance its presence in the New York market and respond to strong demand for travel during the summer months.

The first new route introduces a seasonal Saturday-only service between LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR).

This marks American Airlines' first entry into the LGA-MYR market since the merger with US Airways, which previously served the route in 2009.

Currently, the market is dominated by Spirit Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which together control over 95% of the market share based on data from the end of 2024.

Market analysis shows strong demand for the route, with 288 passengers daily each way (PDEW) in September 2024, reflecting growth from 269 PDEW the previous year.

With the average round-trip fare decreasing from $423 to $372, the market has become more competitive. Approximately 70% of bookings originate from the New York area, with 30% from Myrtle Beach, signaling a solid demand for direct flights between the two locations.

The new service is set to begin on June 14, 2025, with the inaugural flight departing LaGuardia at 9:00 AM and arriving in Myrtle Beach at 11:04 AM, with a total flight duration of 2 hours and 4 minutes.

The summer schedule will see an increase in seat capacity, with daily flight frequencies rising from 1.9 flights per day in February 2025 to 2.2 flights per day in May 2025, increasing daily seats from 244 to 379.

The second route being revived is the LaGuardia to Charleston (CHS) service, which will operate twice weekly starting in June 2025.

This route was suspended during the pandemic but is now being reintroduced due to growing demand.

Delta Airlines currently operates four daily flights on this route, and Spirit Airlines holds a smaller share of the market.

JetBlue Airways, which previously served this route, exited following the dissolution of the Northeast Alliance (NEA) in 2024.

Data for the Charleston route shows a slight decline in passenger volume from 365 PDEW in September 2023 to 312 PDEW in September 2024.

Despite this, average round-trip fares have increased from $476 to $552.

The market remains competitive, with Delta Airlines holding a dominant 68% share and Spirit Airlines at 16%.

The reintroduction of American Airlines introduces fresh competition, particularly in a market that had seen some consolidation.