American Airlines is bringing commercial flights back to Naples, Florida for the first time in a quarter-century, with new nonstop service to Charlotte set to begin this winter. The city of Naples announced Tuesday that American's first flights from Naples Airport (APF) will launch on Dec. 2, connecting the small Gulf Coast airport to American's second-busiest hub, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
American's Naples flights and AAdvantage bookings are already open
Tickets are on sale now: American's website shows flights between Naples and Charlotte starting Dec. 2, including AAdvantage award redemptions beginning at 8,500 miles one-way. The route will fly on an American Eagle Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet, which seats 65 passengers.
Because of American's hub-and-spoke network, that short regional flight can connect Naples travelers to any U.S. city American serves from Charlotte, as well as its European destinations from CLT, including London, Paris, Rome and Athens. For a market that hasn't had a same-day connection to a major hub in decades, that single daily link to Charlotte effectively reopens the rest of American's global network to Southwest Florida travelers willing to make one stop.
Why commercial service is returning to Naples
The announcement wasn't a total surprise. Earlier this month, the city released survey results showing 8 in 10 residents favored bringing commercial airline service back to Naples Airport, and officials had already said American was hoping to launch two to three daily flights by December.
Naples Airport sits just miles from the Florida coast and minutes from Naples Beach, but for the past decade the terminal has served general aviation flyers exclusively. Before that, it hosted smaller regional carriers. It has been nearly 20 years since Delta Air Lines' departure from APF marked the end of flights there on a major U.S. airline.
"We've been asked for years about the potential return of airline service," Naples Airport Authority executive director Chris Rozansky said in a statement. "Travel doesn't get more convenient for our residents and visitors than catching a flight out of Naples Airport." Commercial service is expected to launch once Naples finishes a full renovation of its 45-year-old terminal, a project underway since 2022.
A new option for Southwest Florida travelers
Naples Airport sits about 30 miles south of the much larger Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and just 17 miles from Marco Island — a considerably shorter drive than the nearly 50 miles from RSW. From the outset, American's Naples presence looks modest, with just two to three daily Charlotte flights, according to schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
The return also isn't entirely new territory for American: the airline previously served APF 25 years ago, in 2001. It's no stranger to the broader region either, already flying from nearby Fort Myers to most of its hubs, including Charlotte. Travelers chasing AAdvantage mile redemptions or simply a shorter drive to the airport now have another entry point into Southwest Florida.
For travelers based in Naples or nearby Marco Island, the return of scheduled airline service ends a two-decade wait and adds a same-day connection to one of American's largest hubs. Even a modest schedule of two to three flights a day can matter for business travelers who want a round trip without driving up to an hour to Fort Myers or roughly two hours to Miami International. If demand holds up, it wouldn't be surprising to see American add frequency or explore additional nonstop routes from Naples down the line.
For frequent flyers tracking new route announcements, Naples joins a small but growing list of secondary Florida airports gaining major-carrier service this year, a trend worth watching alongside broader airline route news as carriers rework their networks after Spirit Airlines' collapse earlier this year.
American Airlines in Naples: quick answers
When do American Airlines flights from Naples start?
American's first Naples-to-Charlotte flight is scheduled for Dec. 2, with tickets and AAdvantage award bookings already available.
What plane will American fly from Naples?
American plans to operate the route with an American Eagle Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet, which seats 65 passengers, two to three times daily.
