American Airlines Plans Launch of Daily Direct Service Between Philadelphia and Porto, Portugal
- Joe Breitfeller
- 45 minutes ago
- 2 min read
American Airlines has today announced the launch of new direct daily summer seasonal service between Philadelphia and Porto, Portugal from Summer 2027. The route will be operated with a new Airbus A321XLR, featuring the Flagship Suite® experience.

On Thursday (February 5, 2026), American Airlines announced plans to start new nonstop service between Philadelphia (PHL) and Porto, Portugal (OPO) from summer 2027, subject to government approval. The new summer seasonal route will operate daily with a new Airbus A321XLR featuring Flagship Suite® seats. American also offers year-round service to Lisbon (LIS), making OPO a complementary addition. In addition to world-famous port wine, the city boasts a colorful riverfront, beautiful blue-and-white azulejos tiles, a robust food scene, and more.
Speaking at the airline’s annual leadership conference this week, American Airlines’ SVP – Network and Schedule Planning, Brian Znotins, said,
“Porto is exactly the type of new market the Airbus A321XLR enables us to serve. While we’ll have even more new routes to share later this year for summer 2027, we’re eager to continue growing our long-haul network that features service to new destinations, including Budapest, Hungary, and Prague that will start this summer.”
Visitors to Porto can also explore the nearby Douro Valley, which offers a variety of sightseeing opportunities, from longstanding vineyards for wine enthusiasts looking for tastings, to boat tours down the rivers and even an archaeological park showcasing Portugal’s past from thousands of years ago.
As previously mentioned, American’s flights to Porto will operate with an Airbus A321XLR. American was the first U.S. airline to take delivery of this versatile aircraft, which entered service with the airline in December 2025. Featuring 20 Flagship Suite® seats, guests traveling in this cabin can get a perfect night’s rest with new mattress pads, which are rolling out across all long-haul international Flagship® Business flights in 2026, along with a cool-touch dual-sided pillow, Bang & Olufsen noise-canceling headphones, Nest Bedding-branded slippers, a duvet, an amenity kit and a privacy door.
American will also offer travelers the choice of Premium Economy and Main Cabin seating options. Premium Economy seats feature enhanced winged headrests, calf and footrests and wireless charging. Customers traveling in both Premium Economy and Main Cabin will also receive hot meals and can enjoy the flight with complimentary seatback entertainment featuring Bluetooth connectivity.
Founded in 1926, American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) offers more than 6,000 daily flights to over 350 destinations in more than 60 countries, and employs a team of over 130,000 aviation professionals. The airline is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose member airlines serve over 900 destinations worldwide. American Airlines’ mission is To Care for People on Life’s Journey®.
Source: American Airlines