The Routes Americas 2026 Awards have announced their airline finalists, recognizing excellence in route development partnerships across the Americas. American Airlines, LATAM Airlines Group, and WestJet are shortlisted for the Airline Award, which highlights successful collaborations for profitable routes. Winners will be revealed at an event in Rio de Janeiro next March.
The Routes Americas 2026 Awards celebrate destinations and airports driving air service growth in the region, with a focus on standout route development partnerships and marketing initiatives. The Airline Award, evaluated by a panel of editorial judges, emphasizes the role of partnerships in establishing successful and profitable routes. Finalists include American Airlines, LATAM Airlines Group, and WestJet.
American Airlines operates more than 7,000 daily flights to over 360 destinations via nine hubs. In 2025, it added 16 new stations and more than 100 new routes, including services to Tampico and Puerto Escondido in Mexico, reaching a total of 30 Mexican destinations. The carrier also introduced new Caribbean routes to South Caicos and Bimini. For summer 2026, American plans six new long-haul routes: from Dallas/Fort Worth to Athens, Buenos Aires, and Zurich; Miami to Milan; and Philadelphia to Budapest and Prague. Additionally, it will restructure its Dallas/Fort Worth hub from nine to 13 daily banks starting in April 2026 to enhance connectivity and operational resilience.
LATAM Airlines Group transported 87.4 million passengers in 2025, a 6.6% increase year on year. From 2025 to July 2026, the group will launch more than 30 new domestic and international routes across Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. In Brazil, it achieved a 41.5% domestic market share, its highest in 12 years. Long-haul expansions include new services from São Paulo to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Cape Town, bolstering connections between South America, Europe, and Africa. Fleet growth supports this, with the acquisition of 74 Embraer 195-E2 aircraft and the forthcoming Airbus A321XLR.
WestJet has expanded its network through Calgary International Airport, designated as its global hub, where 2025 seat capacity was nearly 50% higher than in 2022, serving more than 100 destinations. Recent efforts target underserved international leisure markets. For winter 2025-26, WestJet launched new routes from Calgary to Guadalajara, Panama City, Cozumel, Puerto Plata, Tepic, and Puerto Escondido, plus increased frequency to Tokyo Narita. In 2026, transatlantic service from Halifax is planned, driving a 50% year-on-year seat capacity increase at the airport. Following its 2023 acquisition of Sunwing Airlines, WestJet now serves 46 Latin American and Caribbean destinations.
The awards ceremony is set for the Routes Americas Networking Evening on March 4, 2026, at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, during the Routes Americas event from March 3-5.
