American Airlines ended all flights at several airports in recent months, including two with flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Phoenix exited airports in Santa Maria, California; Tijuana, Mexico; and Doha, Qatar, according to Simple Flying, citing airline flight schedule data. The former two cities had service to and from the Valley via Sky Harbor.
Throughout 2026, higher jet fuel costs triggered by the Iran war raised airlines' cost of doing business. Besides raising airfares and baggage fees, airlines sought to recoup these expenses by re-evaluating their route networks and axing unpopular or underperforming routes.
Sky Harbor also lost flights from similar decisions made by Southwest Airlines. Southwest ended service at Chicago
O'Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in June; it flew to and from Phoenix out of both airports.
Despite American's airport cuts impacting Phoenix, Sky Harbor remains an integral part of American's business. American operates the airport's most nonstop routes and will anchor its upcoming West Terminal.
Phoenix to Tijuana, Mexico
American Airlines' Phoenix-Tijuana route, which was its shortest route between the United States and Mexico, ended on Aug. 2 after a little more than two years. It first took off in February 2024.
Tijuana was a new city for American's network upon its debut, with Phoenix getting the first nonstop flights. American did not add flights to Tijuana from another U.S. airport besides Sky Harbor.
The route provided a direct way to get to Tijuana, the border city about 20 miles from San Diego, that didn't require a flight with a layover, driving through the San Ysidro Port of Entry or using the Cross Border Xpress pedestrian bridge connecting San Diego's Otay Mesa neighborhood and Tijuana International Airport.
American is also discontinuing service between Phoenix and Monterrey, though American will continue offering flights there via Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Phoenix to Santa Maria, California
American ended service between Phoenix and Santa Maria, California after only a few months in operation. The route's last flight was May 7, less than seven months after its Oct. 16, 2025, debut.
American's exit now means that no legacy carriers serve the Santa Maria airport. It still has passenger service to Las Vegas via Allegiant Air.
When the airline first announced the route, it cited a demand for tourism to destinations known for their wineries. The Santa Maria Valley, in California's Central Coast, has at least 30 tasting rooms.
American still offers flights to the region from Phoenix via San Luis Obispo, the midway point between San Francisco and Los Angeles. San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria are less than 35 miles away from each other.
Despite cuts, American Airlines is expanding presence in Phoenix
American still offers flights to more than 100 nonstop destinations out of Sky Harbor, accounting for about 40% of the airport's traffic.
And it's planning to grow with Sky Harbor. When its West Terminal opens, expected in 2033, American will serve as its primary airline carrier.
American CEO Robert Isom said in a statement that American's partnership with Phoenix on the West Terminal "will support continued growth, create jobs, strengthen global connectivity and deliver an even better experience for our customers with much-needed new premium spaces.
"The future West Terminal will further connect Phoenix to destinations around the world, strongly positioning the city to lead the next generation of travel by driving economic opportunity, tourism and global business connections for the region," Isom said.
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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 Michael.Salerno@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: American Airlines leaves these cities, affecting 2 Phoenix routes
