American Airlines is bringing back a key link between Pittsburgh and the West Coast.
Starting April 4, the Fort Worth-based carrier will offer nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, the Allegheny County Airport Authority announced Monday. The move revives a route last flown in 2017.
Daily service between the airports will be year-round.
Each day, an inbound flight will depart Los Angeles at 9 a.m. Pacific Time and arrive in Pittsburgh at 4:37 p.m. Eastern. An outbound flight will leave Pittsburgh at 5:57 p.m. Eastern and land in L.A. at 8:05 p.m. Pacific.
American, which operates more flights than any other carrier in Pittsburgh, will use 172-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft for the route.
The flights will ease travel for many Pittsburgh-area companies, especially ones in the film industry, the airport authority noted.
Other air carriers have recently capitalized on Pittsburghers seeking cross-country flights.
Breeze Airways plans to increase its existing L.A. service from two to five times a week by early June. The budget airline also offers seasonal direct flights to San Diego, as does competitor Southwest Airlines.
And last month, Delta Airlines resumed daily, nonstop service to its Salt Lake City hub from Pittsburgh for the first time since the pandemic.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.