American Airlines Has Just Introduced a New Route to One of Europe’s Trendiest Destinations

The atmosphere was electric earlier this month as the first American Airlines flight from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Copenhagen Airport (CPH) prepared for takeoff. There were speeches, a festive balloon arch adorned with red-and-white Danish flags at the departure gate, and delicious Danish pastries were enjoyed while a lively soundtrack of Danish hip-hop filled the air.

This new route to Denmark marks American Airlines' return to the Nordics after several years, as José Freig, the airline’s vice president of international operations, shared with Dinogo in an email statement following the inaugural flight. The last service American provided to the region was to Reykjavík, Iceland, which ceased in 2019.

After a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, passengers were welcomed on June 6 to board American Airlines’ newly inaugurated flight to Copenhagen. This route, which was announced last year, is part of the airline's strategy to enhance its European service in 2024. The expansion of the transatlantic network was made possible by the delivery of additional Boeing aircraft after initial delays.

With the launch of the new Philadelphia to Copenhagen route, we will provide more single connections from across the U.S. to Copenhagen than any other airline,” Brian Znotins, senior vice president of network planning, noted during American’s Tell Me Why podcast.

American's new flight to Copenhagen links to over 85 routes across North America. This summer, in addition to Copenhagen, American has also introduced seasonal services to Naples, Italy, and Nice, France, from Philadelphia.

All new flights are being serviced by Boeing 787-9 aircraft and are set to operate until the fall (the flights to Copenhagen and Nice will continue until October 6, while the Naples flights will be available through October 26). American has yet to confirm if the Copenhagen, Naples, and Italy services will resume in 2025.

These new European routes arrive just as American has upgraded the food and amenities for its first-, business-, and premium-economy-class seats on transatlantic flights, making travel with the airline even more appealing for premium passengers crossing the ocean.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new flight to Copenhagen and the exciting features available in the front cabin.

Introducing American Airlines’ New Route to Copenhagen

American Airlines’ new service from Philadelphia to Copenhagen operates on a Boeing 787-9, featuring 255 seats in the Main Cabin, which includes 21 reclining Premium Economy seats offering seven additional inches of legroom and slightly more width than the standard economy seats. In the Flagship business-class cabin, there are 30 lie-flat seats arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, complete with a 15.4-inch screen, Bang & Olufsen headphones, and a range of upgraded amenities (details below).

American Airlines flight 744 departs from Philadelphia daily at 9:35 p.m. (local time) and arrives in Copenhagen at 11:10 a.m. (local time) after a seven-and-a-half-hour journey. Conversely, flight 745 leaves Copenhagen daily at 2 p.m. (local time), reaching Philadelphia approximately eight and a half hours later at 4:25 p.m. (local time).

After recently taking the flight from San Francisco, I found that splitting the European journey into roughly equal segments is a great alternative to a long overnight flight from the West Coast. With reliable Wi-Fi available on American Airlines' domestic flights, I was able to work during the daytime leg from San Francisco to Philadelphia, then relax and catch some sleep on the overnight flight to Copenhagen. American's enhanced business-class service (I occupied seat 5L, a window seat in business class) certainly contributed to a good night’s rest before arriving in Europe, making it much easier to start my adventures upon landing.

Upgrades to Business Class

As American prepares to introduce its new Flagship Suite seats on Boeing 787-9s, Boeing 777-300s, and Airbus A321XLRs (though no specific launch date has been announced, it was initially stated that these planes would debut in 2024), the airline is enhancing the experience for first, business, and premium-economy passengers on international flights, including its new routes to Copenhagen, Nice, and Naples.

Amenity kits featuring a rotating selection of Thirteen Lune skin-care products (described as “beauty brands created by Black and Brown founders” according to Thirteen Lune) are now being distributed to first, business, and premium-economy passengers traveling internationally. The concept is to refresh these kits every few months, highlighting different skin-care brands and products so that frequent travelers can discover new options.

Starting Memorial Day weekend, passengers in first and business class are now provided with dual-sided pillows that are cooling on one side and have traditional fabric on the other. American collaborated with the textile company John Horsfall to create this bedding using recycled materials. To further minimize plastic waste, the new bedding, including a blanket, is packaged in a reusable zipper pouch made from recycled fibers instead of a single-use plastic bag, which will help save around 25 tons of plastic annually.

All international business-class travelers will now receive slippers, a luxury that was previously only offered to those on ultra-long-haul flights.

Passengers traveling in business class to and from Europe will enjoy new menu offerings such as salmon with red curry sauce, chicken with mojo verde sauce, and macadamia-crusted sea bass.

I can confidently say that the food, service, and amenities in American’s updated business-class experience on transatlantic flights provided luxurious dining and comfortable sleeping conditions. I also appreciated the ability to preorder menu items up to 24 hours in advance, which ensured that I could enjoy the curry salmon, even as it was running low for those who ordered during the flight.