American Trims Capacity on Recently Launched Route

Just over four months since launching one of its newest routes, the carrier plans to reduce capacity in this market.

Starting in August, the airline will downgrade its new service from Washington’s Reagan National to San Antonio. American previously planned to use a 190-seat Airbus A321 in this market.

On Aug. 6, the airline will instead begin using a 172-seat Boeing 737-800 on the daily route between the two cities. This change was made in a previous Cirium Diio schedule update.

An American Airbus A321 landing in Charlotte.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

This route was allocated as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. Congress allowed airlines to apply for one of five additional non-perimeter round-trip slots.

In December, the Department of Transportation awarded this highly coveted D.C. to San Antonio service to American. At 1,380 miles, the route goes beyond Reagan National’s 1,250-mile perimeter limit.

In a late-2024 news release, the carrier said it planned to use an A321 on the route. But with the downgrade to a 737, this service will see 18 fewer seats per day in each direction.

At the time of writing, this aircraft change is scheduled to remain in effect until at least mid-February 2026.

An airline spokesperson confirmed the change to AirlineGeeks on Friday, noting “some impact” to travel at its Washington hub amid a slowdown in government demand.

“It is important to note that we have not canceled any routes, but we have made some minor adjustments to aircraft types operating routes,” the spokesperson said.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

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