American Airlines has added a second daily Dallas Fort-Worth – Rome flight for a limited summer season, July 2nd through August 17. That’s a peak of peak travel period. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 787-8 with 20 business class, 28 premium economy and 186 coach seats.

Dallas Fort-Worth – Rome, 6:35 p.m. – 12:00 p.m.+1, American Airlines AA290
Rome – Dallas Fort-Worth, 2:00 p.m. – 7:05 p.m., American Airlines AA289

Boeing 787-8 Concept D Business Class

While the pre-existing daily flights, AA239 and AA240, appear to rarely if every offer award or upgrade space (as we have come to expect from American Airlines), this new flight appears to have upgrade but no award space open every single day and indeed open with enough seats for the whole family.

Each of these flights, AA289 and AA290, appears to be “C7” meaning at least 7 (or more) confirmed business class upgrade seats available every day that the flight operates. For instance,

This means you should be able to confirm an upgrade on this flight at time of booking from any paid fare using systemwide upgrade certificates which are given to Executive Platinum members, Concierge Key members, and after earning 2 million lifetime miles (and at each subsequent million mile threshold).

You should also be able to confirm upgrades using miles (and a cash co-pay). American charges 25,000 miles plus $350 cash each way to upgrade from most economy fares (full fare tickets cost 15,000 miles, and the co-pay is waived for ConciergeKey members).

I do not expect this situation to last. American simply doesn’t make this much upgrade space available on its flights, even flights which they expect to sell out in back but not up front. So confirm these upgrades right away.

(HT: @xJonNYC)