American Testing Tech to Help Passengers Make Connecting Flights

The experimental system identifies passengers at risk of missing connections and weighs the cost of a delay.

Overlooking DFW Airport’s Terminal B (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

[ News ]May 12, 2025 4:48 pm ET

By Zach Vasile

Summer travelers scrambling to make their connecting flights may soon be getting some help from American Airlines.

The airline said it is testing new technology at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport that identifies departing flights and checks for passengers who may not make it to the gate in time. American employees will use the experimental system to determine if flights with late-arriving passengers can be delayed without disrupting the airline’s schedule, and if they can, a short hold will be put in place to give travelers more time to board.

The company said the new technology helps automate and enhance processes that are already in place for helping passengers make their connecting flights.

American said it will next test the technology at Charlotte Douglas International Airport hub in North Carolina, then expand its use to several other hubs over the summer.

American is not the only airline using novel technology to reduce the number of missed connections. United operates a similar program called Connection Saver that detects when travelers are late arriving at the airport from a prior flight and weighs the impact of delaying a connection.

United has said Connection Saver uses elements of artificial intelligence to make its calculations. American did not say if its experimental system uses AI.

American has over 715,000 flights scheduled between May 16 and Sept. 2, the height of the summer travel season, with 38,000 alone over the Memorial Day weekend.

Author
Recent Posts

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.

Author

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.
View all posts