FORT WORTH, Texas, July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines customers can begin booking travel this Sunday for the airline's new flight between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Sydney Airport (SYD). The new, nonstop route, which launches Dec. 17 and was announced in June as part of the proposed enhanced joint business relationship with Qantas, expands American's global network by adding a fifth continent and reinforces the strength of its world-class LAX hub.

"Expanding our global footprint to another continent is an important step for American as we continue to invest in our network to provide the best possible travel experience for our customers," said Andrew Nocella, American's chief marketing officer. "We are eager to begin service to Australia with our flagship aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER, which offers amenities and service that international travelers recognize as one of the best travel experiences in the industry."

Subject to regulatory approval, the new flight will operate on the following daily schedule (all times local):

LAX-SYD
AA 73
Departs LAX at 9:50 p.m.
Arrives SYD at 7:55 a.m. two days later

SYD-LAX
AA 72
Departs SYD at noon
Arrives at LAX at 6:50 a.m. the same day

American's new service between Los Angeles and Sydney will be operated with the state-of-the-art, three-class Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft features all-aisle access, fully lie-flat seats and a walk-up bar in the premium cabins; Main Cabin Extra seating provides more legroom; and all seats feature personal, in-seat entertainment screens with up to 250 movies, over 180 TV programs and more than 350 audio selections, international Wi-Fi capability, and universal AC power outlets and USB ports.

Through the enhanced alliance, Qantas will launch service between Sydney and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Services will initially operate on peak days and ramp up to six per week in 2016 using its newer Boeing 747-400 aircraft with similar interiors found on the airline's Airbus A380s. American's customers will soon be able to book travel on this route through the codeshare American and Qantas have in place.

Through their joint business, American and Qantas provide increased connectivity to destinations beyond their key gateways. Customers traveling from Australia can access more than 150 destinations throughout North America on American's extensive network from Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Customers traveling from North America have access to nearly 60 additional destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand when connecting from Qantas trans-Pacific routes from Sydney. When traveling from Sydney, customers wishing to connect to New York have the opportunity to fly First Class from LAX regardless of the carrier they choose, either on American's three-class Airbus A321T aircraft or Qantas' Airbus A380 aircraft.

In December 2014, American announced an investment of more than $2 billion in the customer experience. These investments include more fully lie-flat seats; upgraded aircraft interiors; more international Wi-Fi; more in-flight entertainment options and charging power for customers in all cabins; and an improved airport experience with faster, more reliable kiosks and refreshed gate and ticketing areas.

This is in addition to American's historic fleet renewal, during which it expects to take delivery of 75 new mainline aircraft in 2015. American is adding new aircraft on routes which cater to a wide breadth of industries – entertainment, energy, technology, manufacturing, banking and finance, among others – to best meet the flying needs of the second largest air travel market in the U.S.

American Airlines at LAX
American has served Greater Los Angeles for more than 80 years. With nearly 200 daily departures operated by the youngest fleet among global network carriers in the U.S. and unmatched premium services on the ground, American has a rich history as the premier airline at LAX with the most domestic and international destinations.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with regional partners, operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. This year American topped Fortune Magazine's list of best business turnarounds and its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

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SOURCE American Airlines

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