American Airlines will launch in August a new tarmac-to-tarmac luxury motorcoach service connecting the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton and Philadelphia international airports.

Officials announced Tuesday the service “providing customers with a convenient way to start and end their travels” — 35-seat buses offering in-seat power, Wi-Fi and other creature comforts one might expect in a first-class cabin of a regional jet.

American, operating the motorcoach service as part of its partnership with The Landline Company, will run four roundtrips daily timed to connect with the airline’s flights out of Philadelphia International Airport.

It effectively connects Northeast Pennsylvania travelers with a third regional hub, as the local airport already offers three daily roundtrip flights to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina and two daily roundtrip flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Illinois.

Beginning Aug. 6, customers connecting on American Airlines via the Philadelphia airport can clear security at AVP, the local airport’s Federal Aviation Administration codename. Passengers would check their luggage in with American upon arrival.

“We are pleased to expand our innovative partnership with Landline to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport,” American Airlines Director of Domestic Network Planning Joe Sottile said in a press release. “Complementing our existing service from AVP to both our Charlotte and Chicago hubs, this new service will enhance access to American’s global network, including convenient one-stop service via our Philadelphia hub to over 100 destinations in the U.S. and around the world.”

The motorcoaches will depart AVP at 7:20 a.m., 10:20 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and arrive at the Philadelphia airport at 9:40 a.m., 12:40 p.m., 5:35 p.m. and 7:50 p.m.

“Many passengers choose AVP for the convenience and low-stress environment,” airport Director Carl Beardsley Jr. said in the release. “Being able to start your trip from AVP and connect through Philadelphia alleviates some of the stress when starting your travel from a larger airport.”

To use the motorcoach service when it becomes available, customers will book their flight through American’s website or mobile app, enter AVP as their origin and select their endpoint destination, just like a flight itinerary, officials said.

For more information, visit flyavp.com.

___

(c)2024 The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.)

Visit The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.) at thetimes-tribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.