American Eagle adding nine routes from LAX next year

Southern California fliers will get more choices next year, when American Eagle plans to add nine domestic destinations from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and expand terminal facilities. American Airlines also plans to increase frequencies to several key U.S. cities.

Among the expansions announced Wednesday:

New daily service on American Eagle to Albuquerque (ABQ); Boise (BOI), Idaho; El Paso (ELP); Houston (IAH); Oklahoma City (OKC); Phoenix (PHX); Salt Lake City (SLC); Sacramento (SMF); and Tucson (TUS). Some of these cities will be served once a day; others up to four times a day. The additions will begin April 5.

First-class seats on American Eagle flights out of LAX. including those to Denver (DEN), Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix and one of two daily flights to Albuquerque.

Four more gates at American Eagle’s LAX terminal, which opened last year. Construction, pegged at $20 million, is expected to be finished by the end of 2011. When it’s done, American Eagle will have 10 gates there.

More daily flights, starting April 5, on American to five current destinations: Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW), Chicago (ORD), Las Vegas (LAS), Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO), Fla.

Earlier this month, American announced new daily service to Shanghai (PVG), starting April 5.