Major airline expands passenger test that holds flights to help prevent missed connections

American Airlines is continuing to trial an AI-powered strategy designed to hold departing flights, truthful that passengers person a amended accidental of making their connections.

The hose announced backmost successful May 2025 the exertion would beryllium tested astatine its Dallas-Fort Worth hub.

It has since expanded the programme to further airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Miami International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

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For travelers, the changes could mean less missed connections successful immoderate cases.

The strategy analyzes real-time information to place flights that person passengers astatine hazard of missing their adjacent departure — and determines whether holding the formation concisely could assistance those travelers marque their connection.

American Airlines is investigating an AI-based strategy that holds departing flights to assistance passengers marque their connections. (iStock)

Passengers are notified by automated substance erstwhile a formation is held, including details connected however agelong the level volition hold astatine the gate, American Airlines’ spokesperson Luisa Barrientos Flores told Afar.

The flights volition beryllium held, connected average, for 10 minutes, Flores said.

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Some travelers accidental they’ve already experienced the strategy firsthand.

In a Reddit post, 1 rider described receiving a notification aft the archetypal formation was delayed. The announcement said the connecting formation would hold astatine the gate.

The hose began investigating the exertion astatine its Dallas-Fort Worth hub successful May 2025 — and has since expanded the programme to different large airports. (iStock)

The traveler described feeling particularly relieved, arsenic helium oregon she had a choky layover and was disquieted astir missing the connection, peculiarly since it was the past formation of the night.

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The idiosyncratic noted that the substance connection arrived arsenic soon arsenic the level landed. 

The substance elaborate however agelong the connecting formation would beryllium held.

Passengers whitethorn person an automated notification alerting them that their transportation volition beryllium waiting astatine the gate. (iStock)

United Airlines has rolled retired caller exertion arsenic good that's aimed astatine helping passengers marque choky connections. 

The updates physique connected exertion the hose has been utilizing for respective years, according to the company.

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In a December 2025 property release, United said it rolled retired personalized features that supply step-by-step directions to connecting gates, estimated walking times, real-time formation updates and guidance for longer layovers.

The updates physique connected exertion the hose has been utilizing for respective years. 

The app besides notifies passengers erstwhile United is capable to clasp a departing formation for travelers facing particularly choky connections.

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Fox News Digital reached retired to American Airlines for further remark astir its program.