Summer 2026 looks more exciting for American Airlines passengers hoping to visit Central Europe. Today, the airline announced seasonal service to Budapest and Prague from its Philadelphia hub, along with a handful of other new or extended routes.

American Airlines Expands Central Europe Network With Seasonal Flights to Budapest and Prague

American Airlines has just announced two new European routes launching in summer 2026: Philadelphia (PHL) to Budapest (BUD) and Philadelphia to Prague (PRG). Both destinations will be served with Boeing 787‑8 aircraft beginning May 21, 2026. American will be the only U.S. carrier offering nonstop service to Budapest, and it will also mark a return to Prague after an eight-year route suspension.

Conservative European Growth In Summer 2026

These flights are part of a broader network expansion announced today that includes:

• Philadelphia to Budapest (new seasonal service) – summer seasonal service starts May 21, 2026 on 787-8
• Philadelphia to Prague (return of seasonal service) – summer seasonal service starts May 21, 2026 on 787-8
• Dallas-Fort Worth to Athens (new) – summer seasonal service begins May 21, 2026 on 787-8
• Dallas-Fort Worth to Zurich (new) – Summer seasonal service from May 21 to August 4, 2026 on 777-200
• Miami to Milan (new) – year-round service starts March 29, 2026 on 787-8
• Dallas-Fort Worth to Buenos Aires (extended) – service extended from May 21 to August 3, 2026 on 787-8

AA also announced it would upguage Tokyo Haneda service from both Los Angeles (LAX) and Dallas (DFW) from 787-9s to 777-200s (from LAX) and a 777-300ER (from DFW), representing a 45% increase in premium seating.

Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, explained:

“Customers continue to tell us that Europe is where they want to go each summer and these new routes make it even easier to cross the Atlantic in 2026. We are excited to grow our network to new destinations like Prague and Budapest and offer even more premium travel experiences on our flights to Tokyo.”

The limited route additions reflect the reality that AA is still uncertain over aircraft deliveries in 2026. AA is due to receive more 787 Dreamliners, but its Airbus A321XLR is delayed. I also find it surprising that in the battle over Chicago O’Hare, AA is not adding any new longhaul routes. We also see no new routes from New York JFK, reflecting the difficulty and capacity constraints in that market.

CONCLUSION

American Airlines is deepening its transatlantic network with a logical expansion into Central Europe. With Budapest and Prague coming online for summer 2026, American is trying to find (or perhaps stimulate) demand in markets that are not saturated. At the same time, the limited expansion reflects the frustration of aircraft delivery delays that have hindered more robust growth.