There’s something special about flying a widebody aircraft domestically. These are larger and usually more spacious planes, designed to take passengers across oceans. Many passengers simply find them more enjoyable.

American Airlines Boeing 787-8 in Chicago

They also have a lot more premium seats, which people will buy when making long journeys. Business class usually means seats that all have direct access to the aisle and that convert into flat beds. On some airlines, they have doors for greater privacy. One of the lavatories will generally be much more spacious (for accessibility reasons, too).

It used to be common for airlines to fly these birds on domestic routes. In my business travel youth of the late ’90s, United ran a 5 p.m. Boeing 747 from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles, and 5 p.m. 777 to San Francisco.

My first-ever upgrade was Los Angeles to Dulles on a Sunday afternoon onboard a United 777. I didn’t want to get off! An almond dusted shrimp appetizer, steak entree, and dessert… long before inflight wifi, I had a couple of cocktails and the Sunday New York Times. Perfect Sunday that I will never forget. My first time in three-class first was also on United, from Chicago to… Detroit, on a Boeing 767.

Now you’ll find widebodies on domestic routes usually for one of two reasons.

• Repositioning. An airline needs to move the plane from one hub to another. It may be coming in from one international destination, and then needs to move to a different hub for its next international flight. This can happen as a one-off [the plane is being based at a different hub] or as part of a schedule pattern that moves a plane between hubs to support infrequent service.

• Counter-seasonal flying. The plane might fly to Europe in the summer, when people want to go there and the airline can make money, but they don’t have a great place to send it in the winter so they put it on a cross-country or Mexico (Cancun) route where it will at least lose less.

American Airlines Business Class

American Airlines does limited long haul international beyond flying to its partner hubs, summer seasonal Europe, and deep South America. Each month, J.T. Genter publishes a list of widebody flights American Airlines is offering domestically. As of this writing, his most recent effort is for the current month of November.

I thought I’d put together the list for December 2024. That way, if you find these flights as special as I do, you can schedule your flying around picking up a widebody aircraft too. I don’t do it often myself, though a year schedules between Austin and Chicago made it almost make sense to connect in Dallas, so I did it to pick up a Boeing 787 from Dallas to Chicago with an upgrade to business class confirmed at booking.

On most domestic widebody flights, premium economy is treated as coach which is great for reserving a better seat, and international-style business class is the domestic first class cabin. On flights where American sells premium economy as a separate cabin (like Hawaii), premium economy upgrades are available day of departure at the gate.

American Airlines Premium Economy

Here’s the list of widebody flights that American Airlines plans to operate on domestic routes in December 2024:

Origin	Dest.	Flight #	Frequency	Depart	Arrive	Aircraft	Start	End
CLT	MIA	2577	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	18:10	20:18	772	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
CLT	MIA	2577	Daily	18:25	20:37	772	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
CLT	MIA	3264	Daily	18:20	20:35	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	HNL	115	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	9:05	13:38	772	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	HNL	123	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	11:45	16:07	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	HNL	115	Thu Only	9:15	13:49	772	12/5/2024	12/5/2024
DFW	HNL	123	Daily	11:30	15:49	788	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
DFW	HNL	115	Daily	9:30	14:04	772	12/6/2024	12/18/2024
DFW	HNL	115	Daily	9:15	13:49	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	HNL	123	Daily	11:30	16:04	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	LAS	777	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	8:35	9:31	788	12/19/2024	12/29/2024
DFW	LAS	777	Mon/Tue	8:35	9:31	788	12/30/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	LAX	3296	Wed Only	11:30	12:50	772	12/11/2024	12/11/2024
DFW	LAX	1031	Thu Only	16:40	18:03	788	12/19/2024	12/19/2024
DFW	MCO	2441	Wed Only	6:30	10:03	772	12/11/2024	12/11/2024
DFW	MCO	2713	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	12:15	15:48	789	12/19/2024	12/29/2024
DFW	MCO	1386	All Except Wed	6:05	9:37	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	MCO	2713	Mon/Tue	12:15	15:48	789	12/30/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	MIA	1489	Mon/Tue/Sun	16:35	20:10	77W	12/1/2024	12/3/2024
DFW	MIA	1489	Wed Only	16:05	19:50	77W	12/4/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	MIA	2125	Wed Only	16:33	20:20	788	12/4/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	MIA	2813	Daily	16:45	20:33	77W	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
DFW	MIA	304	Thu Only	11:00	14:45	788	12/19/2024	12/19/2024
DFW	MIA	356	Thu Only	9:04	12:49	788	12/19/2024	12/19/2024
DFW	MIA	1489	Daily	16:35	20:15	77W	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	MIA	122	Mon Only	11:02	14:50	772	12/30/2024	12/30/2024
DFW	PHL	1256	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	8:30	12:32	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	PHL	1662	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	12:50	16:56	789	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	PHL	1662	Daily	12:45	16:51	789	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
DFW	PHL	402	Daily	8:20	12:27	788	12/5/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	PHL	1662	Daily	12:45	16:55	789	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
DFW	PHX	1433	Sun Only	10:55	12:40	788	12/1/2024	12/1/2024
DFW	PHX	1433	Mon/Tue/Wed	10:40	12:34	788	12/2/2024	12/4/2024
DFW	SJU	2437	Mon Only	8:28	14:58	772	12/2/2024	12/2/2024
DFW	SJU	2437	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	8:28	14:58	772	12/19/2024	12/30/2024
HNL	DFW	102	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	18:33	6:00	772	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
HNL	DFW	124	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	19:55	7:00	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
HNL	DFW	102	Daily	18:44	6:00	772	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
HNL	DFW	124	Daily	19:53	7:00	788	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
HNL	DFW	102	Daily	18:46	6:00	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
HNL	DFW	124	Daily	19:46	7:00	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
HNL	LAX	162	Daily	14:16	21:37	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
HNL	PHX	675	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	22:30	7:05	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
HNL	PHX	693	Daily	22:30	7:09	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
JFK	MIA	1174	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	16:05	19:12	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
JFK	MIA	1573	Daily	14:59	18:16	788	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
JFK	MIA	1029	Thu Only	22:20	1:34	77W	12/19/2024	12/19/2024
LAS	DFW	1761	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	10:50	15:26	788	12/19/2024	12/29/2024
LAS	DFW	1761	Mon/Tue	10:50	15:26	788	12/30/2024	12/31/2024
LAS	MIA	1936	Daily	12:57	20:31	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
LAX	DFW	3296	Fri Only	8:00	13:07	772	12/13/2024	12/13/2024
LAX	HNL	31	Daily	8:40	12:45	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
LAX	MIA	340	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	23:55	7:46	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
LAX	MIA	2765	Daily	13:05	21:00	77W	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
LAX	MIA	1175	Daily	8:25	16:30	788	12/20/2024	12/31/2024
LAX	MIA	1031	Mon Only	6:50	14:48	772	12/23/2024	12/23/2024
LAX	PHL	3141	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	9:46	17:35	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
LAX	PHL	2018	All Except Sat	9:41	17:41	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
LAX	PHL	814	Sat Only	6:20	14:20	788	12/21/2024	12/28/2024
MCO	DFW	3069	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	16:53	18:55	789	12/19/2024	12/29/2024
MCO	DFW	1386	All Except Wed	10:41	12:44	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
MCO	DFW	3069	Mon/Tue	16:53	18:55	789	12/30/2024	12/31/2024
MIA	CLT	2365	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	9:35	11:41	772	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
MIA	CLT	2365	Daily	9:15	11:21	772	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
MIA	CLT	2365	All Except Sat	8:55	11:24	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
MIA	CLT	2365	Sat Only	8:59	11:28	772	12/21/2024	12/28/2024
MIA	DFW	3055	All Except Sat	10:00	12:18	77W	12/1/2024	12/18/2024
MIA	DFW	3055	Sat Only	10:05	12:23	77W	12/7/2024	12/7/2024
MIA	DFW	3055	Sat Only	10:10	12:40	77W	12/14/2024	12/14/2024
MIA	DFW	84	Thu Only	6:30	8:55	772	12/19/2024	12/19/2024
MIA	DFW	3223	Daily	9:50	12:10	77W	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
MIA	DFW	122	Sat Only	8:15	10:41	772	12/28/2024	12/28/2024
MIA	JFK	525	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	8:54	11:50	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
MIA	JFK	3030	Daily	8:55	11:55	788	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
MIA	JFK	122	Thu Only	13:42	16:45	772	12/19/2024	12/19/2024
MIA	LAS	1936	Daily	9:25	11:50	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
MIA	LAX	3152	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	13:46	16:29	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
MIA	LAX	114	Thu Only	12:02	14:55	788	12/5/2024	12/5/2024
MIA	LAX	2474	Daily	8:21	11:25	77W	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
MIA	LAX	1031	Fri Only	12:25	15:41	772	12/20/2024	12/20/2024
MIA	LAX	2062	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	17:40	20:32	788	12/20/2024	12/29/2024
MIA	LAX	2290	Tue/Wed	17:40	20:32	788	12/24/2024	12/25/2024
MIA	LAX	2062	Mon/Tue	17:40	20:32	788	12/30/2024	12/31/2024
MIA	PHL	3031	Daily	8:45	11:41	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
PHL	DFW	451	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	15:35	18:20	789	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
PHL	DFW	3158	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	17:31	20:15	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
PHL	DFW	451	Daily	15:35	18:15	789	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
PHL	DFW	3193	Daily	17:15	19:59	788	12/5/2024	12/18/2024
PHL	DFW	451	Daily	15:36	18:20	789	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
PHL	DFW	3193	Daily	17:15	19:49	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
PHL	LAX	2145	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	18:45	21:44	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
PHL	LAX	1032	All Except Sat	18:40	21:42	788	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
PHL	LAX	1799	Sat Only	15:55	18:46	788	12/21/2024	12/28/2024
PHL	MIA	122	Wed Only	17:20	20:11	788	12/18/2024	12/18/2024
PHL	MIA	1293	Thu/Sat	18:36	21:30	788	12/19/2024	12/21/2024
PHL	MIA	1293	Mon?Thu/Fri/Sun	18:40	21:43	788	12/20/2024	12/29/2024
PHL	MIA	2358	Tue/Wed	15:40	18:34	788	12/24/2024	12/25/2024
PHL	MIA	1293	Sat Only	18:36	21:30	788	12/28/2024	12/28/2024
PHL	MIA	1293	Mon/Tue	18:40	21:43	788	12/30/2024	12/31/2024
PHL	PHX	1417	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	9:00	12:15	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
PHX	DFW	1433	Sun Only	13:44	17:06	788	12/1/2024	12/1/2024
PHX	DFW	1433	Mon/Tue/Wed	13:30	16:52	788	12/2/2024	12/4/2024
PHX	DFW	178	Thu Only	12:30	15:49	788	12/5/2024	12/5/2024
PHX	DFW	256	Thu Only	10:22	13:44	788	12/5/2024	12/5/2024
PHX	HNL	692	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	11:30	15:32	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
PHX	HNL	692	Daily	11:40	15:42	772	12/19/2024	12/31/2024
PHX	PHL	1417	Mon/Tue/Wed/Sun	13:20	19:35	788	12/1/2024	12/4/2024
SJU	DFW	2437	Mon Only	15:59	19:19	772	12/2/2024	12/2/2024
SJU	DFW	2437	Mon/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	15:59	19:29	772	12/19/2024	12/30/2024

The Boeing 777-300ER (“77W”) is even more special than the other – 777-200, 787-8, and 787-9s – because it still offers Flagship First Class at least until the airline reconfigures them starting next year with their new business class suites but no first class.

This plane can be flown New York JFK – Miami, Miami – Dallas Fort Worth, and Dallas Fort Worth – New York JFK in December.

Maybe the most surprising routes for me here, though, are Dallas – San Juan; Las Vegas – Miami; Orlando – Dallas (though Orlando is big in winter!) and also that we’ll see a widebody on Phoenix – Dallas, too.