American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) has announced a codeshare agreement with GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (G3, São Paulo Congonhas). The deal comes as the US carrier looks to fill the South American capacity void left behind in the aftermath of LATAM Airlines Group abandoning its agreement with American in favour of its new North American partner Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson).
The new reciprocal codeshare between American and GOL, which will need approving by the US and Brazilian authorities, gives the US airline's customers access to 20 new destinations in South America and allows connections to 53 GOL flights beyond Rio de Janeiro International, São Paulo Guarulhos, Brasília Juscelino Kubitschek International, Manaus International and Fortaleza International. In conjunction with the planned codeshare, American will also increase its capacity from its Miami International hub to Rio de Janeiro, adding a second daily flight, operated by a B787-8, during the peak Winter 2020/21 season from January 7, 2021 until March 28, 2021. The airline's existing daily service on the city pair is flown by its 47-strong fleet of B777-200(ER)s.
To help fill this new Latin American capacity, American will also add 12 more year-round, daily domestic frequencies from Nashville International (plus one daily frequency), Boston (plus one), Houston Intercontinental (plus one), Orlando International (plus five), Raleigh/Durham (plus two), and Tampa International (plus two) to Miami. Three of the 20 new codeshare destinations in South America not currently served by American include Asuncion, Paraguay and Curitiba International and Foz do Iguaçu International in Brazil.
“We have a long and rich history in South America, and this new relationship with GOL further enhances our presence in the region,” said Vasu Raja, Senior Vice President of Network Strategy, American Airlines. “Our customers will continue to have access to places they’ve always loved to travel to on American like Rio, Sao Paulo and Brasilia, and will gain access to new destinations on their wish list. We’ll continue to evaluate our network and seek strategic partnerships that benefit our customers and enhance our network.”
“As two of the leading airlines in Brazil and the US, GOL and American Airlines will offer the best experience for customers on the largest number of flights and destinations in the Americas”, said GOL Chief Executive Officer Paulo Kakinoff. “This will strengthen GOL’s presence in international markets and accelerate our long-term growth.”
American has served Latin America since 1942 and flies up to 170 daily flights to 55 destinations in 18 countries in Latin America, from eight hub airports, as well as from Boston.
