American Airlines has proposed new regional jet service from Naples Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, with flights planned to begin on Dec. 2, 2026. The carrier wants to operate three departures and three arrivals a day at the North Road Terminal, a move that would put Naples back on an airline map it has been off for years.
Jason Reisinger said in a May 13 letter that American intends to launch service to APF later this year and that the first day of service is planned for Dec. 2, 2026. He said the airline looks forward to bringing the Naples community back into the American Airlines global network for the first time in over two decades and believes the flights will bring substantial economic benefit while making travel easier for local residents and inbound visitors.
The proposal uses PSA Airlines, American’s regional subsidiary, to fly 65-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 jets with a maximum takeoff weight of 75,000 pounds. Chris Rozansky said the aircraft fit the existing fleet mix at the airport and stay within its established weight limit. He also said the CRJ-700 meets Stage 4 noise standards, which would make it among the quieter aircraft currently operating there.
That matters because Naples last had regularly scheduled commercial airline service in 2017. Since then, the field has been largely a general aviation airport, though JSX began offering scheduled service in November 2024 with Stage 4 jets. American’s plan would add a larger scheduled operation and test how much commercial flying Naples can absorb without changing the character of the airport.
Staff have already started preliminary due diligence on operational and security requirements, facility improvements, staffing and equipment needs. Rozansky is scheduled to brief the Naples Airport Authority Board of Commissioners at its next regular meeting on May 21, 2026.
The authority cannot simply block a carrier if the aircraft are allowed under FAA rules, and a general aviation airport that accepts federal grant funding generally cannot arbitrarily deny commercial service. It can set limits if aircraft exceed physical restrictions, lack required safety certifications or fail to meet reasonable, non-discriminatory local operating standards. For now, American’s proposal appears designed to stay inside those lines: the airline says the flights would remain within the voluntary curfew hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., use aircraft within the airport’s weight limit and operate with noise levels the airport already accepts.
That leaves the practical question, not the legal one, as the real hurdle. American has made its case, staff have begun the technical review, and the airline is preparing to start service on Dec. 2, 2026. The decision now turns on whether Naples can add a Charlotte link without forcing the airport to become something else.
