Charlotte airport lands new American Airlines route to midwestern college town
American Airlines is expanding its flight schedule next summer with the addition of a new nonstop route connecting Charlotte and Columbia, Missouri.
Service between Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Columbia Regional Airport is scheduled to launch on June 4, the airline announced Thursday. The year-round service will operate once daily.
This addition is part of a broader expansion that American just unveiled for major airports, with expansion featuring 15 new summer routes including from Boston, Chicago, Miami, Phoenix, and Dallas-Fort Worth airports.
Columbia is a major academic and athletic hub for the region.
As the home of the University of Missouri, the city frequently draws travelers for Mizzou Tigers sporting events. The university competes in the Southeastern Conference alongside schools such as the University of South Carolina and the University of Georgia, making the new connection convenient for SEC fans living in the Charlotte region. The city is also home to Stephens College and Columbia College.
Beyond its universities, Columbia offers several attractions. They include the True/False Film Fest, The Treeline Music Festival (formerly the Roots N Blues Festival) and the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail. For outdoor enthusiasts, Rock Bridge State Park sits just a few miles south of the city, while the downtown “District” features shops, restaurants, and music venues like The Blue Note.
Centrally located, the college town is about a two-hour drive from both Kansas City and St. Louis.
More on American and CLT
American Airlines offers thousands of daily flights to more than 350 destinations in over 60 countries.
Charlotte Douglas is the second-largest hub for American, accounting for about 90% of all flights out of the airport. The airline provides flights to more than 170 destinations in 27 countries worldwide at CLT through its global network.
CLT is the sixth-busiest airport in the world for takeoffs and landings, according to preliminary rankings released in April by Airports Council International. The airport had 596,583 flights last year — an 11% increase from 2023, when it was ranked seventh internationally.
This story was originally published December 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM.
