American Airlines has new nonstop route from Charlotte to California resort town
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- American Airlines adds nonstop route from Charlotte to Palm Springs in December.
- Palm Springs flight expands Charlotte hub service, operating through April 2026.
- New seasonal routes also include Colorado ski towns and Albuquerque festival travel.
American Airlines is adding a new nonstop flight between Charlotte and Palm Springs International Airport, the California airport announced Monday.
The seasonal service will run on Saturdays from Dec. 20 through April 18, 2026. Flights will operate on a 172-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Flights to Palm Springs will depart Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 9:25 a.m. and arrive at 11:25 a.m., according to a news release from PSP. The return flight from Palm Springs will leave at 12:15 p.m. and arrive in Charlotte at 7:45 p.m.
Flights can now be booked for the trip on the airline’s website at aa.com.
Palm Springs, a popular desert getaway
Located 2 1/2 hours from Los Angeles, Palm Springs is a popular desert destination known for its mid-century modern architecture, resorts, golf courses and scenery.
One of the popular outdoor attractions is the aerial tramway, which takes passengers from the desert floor up to the alpine forest of Mt. San Jacinto in the world’s largest rotating tramcar.
Other popular places include Joshua Tree National Park, with its unusual rock formations and hiking trails; Palm Canyon Drive, a downtown strip with shops, restaurants and galleries; and Tahquitz Canyon, which features a 60-foot waterfall and ancient rock art.
Palm Springs is also 23 miles from the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which takes place in April in Indio, California. Many festival-goers stay in Palm Springs for the event.
American adds more new Charlotte routes
The route to the California destination is one of a number of new routes announced by American in recent months. Special nonstop flights from Charlotte Douglas to Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico will start Oct. 3 and run through Oct. 13 for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Held in the first week of October, it’s known as the world’s largest hot air balloon festival, add and the flights were tied to the event.
Later in December, American will start routes to two popular ski resort towns in the Colorado Rockies. Service between Vail, Colorado, and Charlotte Douglas will start on Dec. 18 and continue through Jan. 5, 2026. American is offering this winter route between Charlotte and Eagle County Regional Airport on an Airbus A319, which seats more than 120 passengers.
Flights between CLT and Aspen, Colorado, will start on Dec. 19. Those routes will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and continue through April 5, 2026. The flight to the ASE airport is a first for Charlotte Douglas, according to the airline.
American is the only airline to serve these Rocky Mountain destinations, according to American.
American opens Provisions by Admirals Club at CLT
The new route adds to American Airlines’ extensive service from CLT, which is the airline’s second-largest hub and accounts for roughly 90% of all flights out of Charlotte Douglas.
American opened the Provisions by Admirals Club on Tuesday afternoon, a first-of-its-kind space for Charlotte customers looking for a quick break, snacks or beverages before they catch flights. It’s in Concourse A, next to Gate A1.
A new grab-and-go option at the club is now available with offerings from 6:15 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. daily.
The morning menu is served until 11 a.m. Throughout the rest of the day until 10:45 p.m., travelers can choose from a variety of sweet and salty snacks or meal boxes, with vegetarian options. A beverage station with canned drinks, coffee and tea is also available.
According to preliminary rankings released in April by Airports Council International, CLT is the sixth busiest airport in the world for takeoffs and landings.