American Airlines Tests New Tech to Help Passengers With Tight Connections During Summer Rush

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American Airlines is expecting a record-breaking summer travel season. The Dallas-based carrier said on Monday that it expects to operate a whopping 715,000 flights during the peak summer period from May 16 to September 2.

That’s 5% more flights than last summer, with an average of one flight departing every 13 seconds. On its busiest day of the summer—July 6—the airline will fly a massive total of 6,800 flights. “We’re set to operate the largest schedules ever at many of our hub airports and have been hard at work for months to ensure our people, aircraft, facilities and technology will deliver for our customers,” said David Seymour, American’s chief operating officer.

With so much air traffic passing through the airline’s hubs, American is testing new technology to simplify the connection process for its passengers. Starting May 12, American will use technology at its main hub at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) that will identify connecting travelers who might miss their next flight. Crew members will use the technology will determine if it’s possible to hold the plane for passengers running late without impacting American’s larger schedule.

The new tech will be especially helpful for fliers who are trying to catch a connecting flight after their first plane was delayed—a common occurrence during summer, when thunderstorms can cause widespread delays. “The technology, developed in-house by the American team, helps automate and enhance existing processes to hold certain connecting flights so the airline can help even more customers make their connections and get to their final destinations,” the airline said.

American plans to bring the technology to its hub at North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) next and continue expanding its tests to additional hubs in its network throughout the summer.

The connection-saving software is part of a recent push by American to make travel more seamless for its passengers. So far in 2025, the carrier has launched new programs to make international arrivals easier by streamlining the security process, as well as a redesigned mobile app.

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