Is Philadelphia American Airlines Most Valuable Northeast Hub?

Summary American Airlines is losing market share in major business markets. Delta Air Lines is pushing American out of key locations like JFK and LGA. Philadelphia remains a stronghold for American with a 60% market share.

American Airlines has slowly but consistently seen its margins and market shares diminish in major business markets, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. As industry expert Brian Sumers put it best , American is "sun-belt obsessed" as a decision that has come at the detriment of its strategic position in major business markets. In no place is this trend more visible than the Northeast, where, despite having four major operational hubs, American Airlines fails to secure a dominant market position in all except one.

The airline has major operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in the New York City area, at both of which Delta Air Lines has consistently managed to push the Dallas-based carrier downwards. At Reagan National (DCA), the carrier remains the largest individual player but fails to maintain a dominant local market share.

As a result, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) remains the last remaining fortress hub for American in the Northeast, through which an increasingly important portion of premium traffic flows. Market shares are dwindling Unexpectedly, the most valuable business travel market in the United States is New York City. Over the past two decades, Delta Air Lines and United Airline.