American Airlines has finalized its flight schedule for late summer and early fall, and the updated schedule includes fewer flights between Phoenix and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
The adjustments are part of a broader industry practice where airlines publish their schedules about 330 days out and then refine the number of flights closer to the time the flights are scheduled, according to the aviation data firm OAG.
Data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed "some cuts in the number of flights and seats" between Phoenix and Chicago from August to October, Cirium spokesperson Mike Arnot said.
More than 80 routes out of O'Hare will operate with fewer flights and/or fewer seats starting in August, according to Cirium.
There were 30 fewer flights between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and O'Hare on American's August schedule on Tuesday, July 22, than there were on May 2, Cirium data showed.
Why is American Airlines canceling flights?
American Airlines spokesman Dan Landson told The Arizona Republic that the cuts reflect the airline's finalized schedule 100 days before the flights.
“American has not made any recent adjustments to its flight schedules for August. We are proud to offer up to 6,700 daily flights, more than any other airline, to help connect travelers to their next vacation before the summer season starts to wind down,” Landson said.
In previous interviews going back to 2023, spokespeople for American have discussed how the airline sets a "placeholder schedule" about 330 days in advance, then sets a final schedule 100 days in advance when adjustments may be made. This is a common industry practice not unique to American.
In the past, factors cited for schedule cuts have included low demand and staffing shortages. OAG noted that flight cuts and changes also can occur for reasons that include airport gate availability, departure time changes and equipment changes.
Landson said that American also has added 20 new destinations out of O'Hare in 2025; these included a route to Naples, Italy that began flying in May. And American has added routes in Phoenix that are scheduled to begin this fall and winter.
What flights did American Airlines cancel in Phoenix?
Cirium scheduling data shows American canceled about 800 flights scheduled for August between Chicago O'Hare and other airports, representing a loss of about 76,000 seats.
Detroit, Newark, Phoenix, Cleveland and Albuquerque saw the greatest cuts based on the number of flights, Cirium data showed.
Phoenix, Newark, Los Angeles, Orlando and Indianapolis lost the most seats.
American is scheduled to operate 238 flights between Phoenix and O'Hare Airport in August, with 43,237 seats. That's 30 fewer flights and 5,278 fewer seats than American originally scheduled for August, according to a comparison of Cirium scheduling data for May 2 and July 22 provided by Arnot.
Arnot provided additional data on American's Phoenix-Chicago O'Hare flight schedules that showed Phoenix lost 25 flights and 4,444 seats for September flights, and lost 57 flights and 10,326 seats for October flights.
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(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected].
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