More Memphis International Airport (MEM) passengers will soon be able to fly to Dallas, Denver and Washington, D.C., thanks to the addition of larger aircraft by American Airlines and United Airlines. American is also adding a frequency to Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport (DCA).
Beginning Aug. 23, American will up-gauge to a 160-seat Boeing 737 for two daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The airline currently uses 76-seat Bombardier CRJ-900 and Embraer 175 planes as well as a 140-seat McDonnell Douglas MD82 plane for its Dallas flights. American will also continue to use dual-class regional jets for two of its seven daily DFW frequencies.
In addition to its larger aircraft for DFW, American will also add a weekday frequency to DCA starting Oct. 6, bringing their total number of daily weekday flights to Washington DC to four (the flight operates once per day on Saturday and Sunday). American Airlines has increased capacity by 17 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2015.
On Oct. 31, United will switch from its current 70-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft to a 166-seat Boeing 737 for one of its two daily flights to Denver International Airport (DEN). United has increased its capacity by 11 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2015.
“We are very excited to see our existing airlines adding seats and giving our passengers more opportunities to fly,” said Pace Cooper, chairman of the board of commissioners for the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. “This is yet another example of MEM’s positive momentum as an origin and destination airport.”
