Knowing where the major airline hubs are located makes searching for award flights (especially on complicated itineraries) dramatically easier as you know these are the cities where they’ll have the largest presence and the most Saver award availability.
It’s often easiest to search segment-by-segment, so knowing the hubs is essential, especially when you’re looking for international flights.
Keep in mind that if a particular airline doesn’t have a hub in a desired city, it doesn’t mean that the airline doesn’t fly to/from that city!
Here is a list of airline hubs for some of the US’s largest airlines:
United Airlines
International hubs are in bold
- Denver – Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Houston – George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Los Angeles – Los Angeles International (LAX)
- Newark – Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Chicago – O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- San Francisco – San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Washington – Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- Guam – Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM)
- Tokyo – Narita International Airport (NRT)
American Airlines
- Charlotte – Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Chicago – O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Dallas – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Los Angeles – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Miami – Miami International Airport (MIA)
- New York – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- New York – LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Philadelphia – Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Phoenix – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Washington – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Delta
- Cincinnati – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
- Detroit – Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
- Atlanta – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- New York City – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- New York City – LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Boston – Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Los Angeles – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Minneapolis – Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
- Seattle – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Southwest airlines calls the airports where they have a large presence as operating bases.
Southwest
- Dallas – Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Chicago – Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
- Houston – William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
- Baltimore – Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)
- Atlanta – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Denver – Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Las Vegas – McCarran International Airport (LAS)
- Oakland – Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK)
- Orlando – Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Phoenix – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Jet Blue doesn’t have “hubs”, but rather Focus Cities
Jet Blue
- New York City – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- Boston – Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Long Beach – Long Beach Airport (LGB)
- San Juan – Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
- Orlando – Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Alaska Airlines
Focus Cities are in bold
- Los Angeles – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Portland – Portland International Airport (PDX)
- Seattle – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- Anchorage – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
- San Diego – San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- San Jose – Norman Y Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Conclusion
This list could come in handy to know how to plan your future travel. It is also helpful so that you know which airline to pursue elite status with if that is one of your goals. If you happen to live close to one of the airports that are listed as a hub for several airlines, then you have lots of options!
Which is your favorite airline hub?