American Airlines Launches First Ever Athens to Dallas Flight
American Airlines landed its first ever direct flight from Athens to Dallas Fort Worth on Friday, May 22, marking the first nonstop connection between Greece and Texas.
The new route is the fifth US destination American Airlines serves from Athens, joining Philadelphia, Chicago, New York JFK, and Charlotte. During the 2026 summer peak season, the airline will operate up to 35 weekly flights from Athens to those five American hubs.
"I see enormous potential for further growth" — Andreas Fiorentinos, Greek National Tourism Organization
The flights will run through September 8, 2026, using Boeing 777-300 and Boeing 777-200 aircraft with capacities of 304 and 273 passengers respectively. Compared to summer 2025, American Airlines is increasing its Athens flights by 25% and available seat capacity by 30%.
The numbers behind the expansion are striking. US passenger traffic through Athens International Airport grew 28% in 2025 compared to 2024, and has more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels. In the first four months of 2026 alone, American arrivals were already up another 10% year over year.
Sophia Philis Ortiz, American Airlines Vice President of Phoenix Operations, said the airline is excited about the new connection, noting that Dallas Fort Worth is the carrier's largest hub with over 900 daily flights to more than 200 destinations across the US, Latin America, and Mexico.
Athens Airport's Communications and Marketing Director, Ioanna Papadopoulou, called American Airlines a "success story" for the airport and for Greece as a whole. Andreas Fiorentinos of the Greek National Tourism Organization said he sees "enormous potential for further growth," pointing out that American travelers remain the highest spenders in the Greek tourism market.
Greece and the US now have over 105 weekly air connections carrying more than one million passengers. American Airlines itself turns 100 years old in 2026.
