Major airline abandons 3 key cities as passengers face shrinking flight choices

American Airlines has dropped flights to three destinations across the U.S., Mexico and the Middle East this year, leaving some travelers with fewer flight options.

The airline has discontinued service to Santa Maria, California; Tijuana, Mexico; and Doha, Qatar, according to aviation outlet Simple Flying, which cited data from aviation analytics company Cirium.

The cuts have left Santa Maria without service from a major U.S. legacy carrier, while Tijuana lost its only nonstop route operated by a U.S. airline.

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By cutting its routes from Phoenix to Santa Maria and Tijuana, American Airlines has exited both destinations.

At Santa Maria, Allegiant Air remains the only commercial airline serving the airport, with flights to Las Vegas, according to Simple Flying.

American Airlines has discontinued service to three destinations across the U.S., Mexico and the Middle East this year, citing route performance and network changes. (iStock)

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has taken over the Philadelphia-to-Doha route, restoring nonstop service between the two cities after American's departure.

Regarding the cancellation of service to Santa Maria, American Airlines said the decision was based on performance.

American Airlines operated service to Santa Maria, California, under its American Eagle brand through a partnership with SkyWest Airlines, a spokesperson from the company told local outlet KEYT earlier this year.

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"Unfortunately, flights to SMX did not meet performance expectations, and SkyWest informed American it will discontinue service as of May 7," the official said.

In June, American Airlines permanently cut its Philadelphia-to-Doha route after previously suspending flights due to regional hostilities, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The route failed to meet performance expectations.

"As part of an optimization of our network and fleet, American has made the difficult decision to discontinue service to Doha, Qatar (DOH)," American Airlines spokesperson Bri Harper said in a statement to the outlet. 

In August, American Airlines discontinued service to Tijuana, Mexico, after the route failed to meet performance expectations.

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American Airlines routinely reviews its routes to ensure "optimal deployment of aircraft," a spokesperson told aviation outlet AirlineGeeks, adding that service to Tijuana had not met "performance expectations."

Fox News Digital reached out to American Airlines for further comment.

American Airlines cited efforts to optimize its network and fleet when announcing the discontinuation of service to Doha, Qatar, earlier this year. (iStock)

Steven Arroyo, an aviation safety expert and retired United Airlines captain based in Florida, told Fox News Digital that route cancellations are a common part of the airline business.

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"If airlines are consistently not making money on a route, they're going to pull out, and it happens all the time," Arroyo said. "It's part of the economic reality of running an airline efficiently."

Arroyo said travelers should monitor routes and ticket prices when planning upcoming trips.

He encouraged travelers to "keep an eye on what's going on" with their planned routes and "do a little bit of research" before booking their trips.

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Arroyo also urged travelers planning trips to the Middle East to closely monitor their flights and consider backup arrangements.

By cutting its Phoenix routes, American Airlines has completely exited Santa Maria and Tijuana. (Li Rui/Xinhua )

"If you are traveling to the Middle East, to the Gulf region, I would highly advise all passengers, all customers, to keep a careful watch," he said.

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"Go on the internet. Go to the company's website. See what's going on. ... Try to lock in those prices or make alternative plans if it looks like flights may be canceled on your route."