American Announces Codeshare Agreement With GOL

American Airlines has entered into a new codeshare agreement with GOL, Brazil’s largest airline, creating the most daily service between the U.S. and South America.

It is a major move for American, which has been under scrutiny and criticism of late from Wall Street to its own pilots. The codeshare agreement allows American to expand their network into one of the few relatively untapped areas in aviation.

The new codeshare destinations in South America not currently served by American include Asuncion, Paraguay (ASU); Curitiba, Brazil (CWB) and Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil (IGU), pending government approvals.

American anticipates GOL’s code to be placed on select flights. The relationship will allow for future frequent flyer redemption and accrual during the first half of 2020.

“We are proud of our strong presence in Latin America, which includes 170 daily flights to the region, Admirals Club lounges and dedicated Premium Guest Services teams in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo,” American Airlines President Robert Isom said in a statement.

In addition, American will add an additional flight from Miami to Rio de Janeiro during peak winter months, and increase flights to South America and Latin America from Nashville, Boston, Houston, Orlando, Raleigh-Durham and Tampa.

“We have a long and rich history in South America, and this new relationship with GOL further enhances our presence in the region,” said American’s Vasu Raja, Senior Vice President of Network Strategy. “Our customers will continue to have access to places they’ve always loved to travel on American like Rio, Sao Paulo and Brasilia, and will gain access to new destinations on their wish list. We’ll continue to evaluate our network and seek strategic partnerships that benefit our customers and enhance our network.”

“As two of the leading airlines in Brazil and the U.S., GOL and American Airlines will offer the best experience for customers on the largest number of flights and destinations in the Americas,” said GOL CEO Paulo Kakinoff. “This will strengthen GOL’s presence in international markets and accelerate our long-term growth.”