U.S. airlines are seeking to extend temporary route waivers introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic for another season as demand to China and Cuba continues to lag.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are seeking relief covering 79 of their combined 129X-weekly China frequencies, while the three carriers and Southwest Airlines are also requesting flexibility on Cuba services.
The applications come ahead of an expected U.S.-China summit later in September and as U.S.-Cuba relations deteriorate amid tighter restrictions from Washington and increased pressure on the island’s fuel supplies. The requested relief would preserve the unused authorities without requiring the carriers to meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) startup and dormancy conditions between Oct. 25 and March 27, 2027.
United has filed the largest U.S-China request, seeking a waiver for 42 of its 66X-weekly frequencies. The airline plans to continue operating the remaining 24 through daily San Francisco-Beijing Capital, San Francisco-Shanghai Pudong and Los Angeles-Shanghai services, alongside 3X-weekly flights between Los Angeles and Beijing.
The unused authorities cover a second daily San Francisco-Shanghai service, as well as daily rights from Chicago O’Hare to Beijing and Shanghai, Newark to Beijing and Shanghai and Washington Dulles to Beijing.
Delta is requesting protection for 23 of its 42X-weekly frequencies. It plans to retain daily Detroit-Shanghai and Seattle-Shanghai flights and operate Los Angeles-Shanghai 5X-weekly, using 19 frequencies. The waiver would cover all seven of Delta’s Atlanta-Shanghai frequencies, all seven Detroit-Beijing frequencies, two of its seven Los Angeles-Shanghai flights and all seven Seattle-Beijing services.
“Given these challenges, further extensions of dormancy waivers may be necessary in the future,” Delta said in its filing. “Delta will reassess in the coming months and, if necessary, request further relief from the Department when appropriate.”
American, meanwhile, is seeking another extension covering 14 of its 21X-weekly frequencies. It plans to continue using the remaining seven for daily Dallas Fort Worth-Shanghai service.
The Oneworld alliance member said “the majority of pre-pandemic frequencies remain unoperated and likely will remain so through at least the 2026-27 winter season, since U.S.–China passenger demand has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.”
Combined, the 50 frequencies the three airlines plan to operate represent a reduction of about 61% from the average of approximately 128 weekly roundtrips in winter 2019-20.
The waivers were first introduced in March 2020 and have since been extended repeatedly. Although DOT has managed a phased restoration intended to maintain parity between U.S. and Chinese airlines, the number of permitted flights remains well below the entitlements available under the bilateral framework.
OAG Schedules Analyser data shows airlines are scheduled to offer about 1.33 million two-way seats between the U.S. and mainland China during winter 2026-27, up 3.4% from 1.28 million a year earlier. The number of nonstop airport pairs is unchanged at 23.
U.S. airlines account for approximately 620,400 seats, an increase of 2.5% and a 46.8% market share. Chinese carriers provide about 706,200 seats, up 4.1%, giving them 53.2% of capacity.
United is the largest individual airline with approximately 306,100 seats and a 23.1% share. Delta provides 229,900 seats, while American offers about 84,400. Among Chinese carriers, Air China will offer approximately 208,200 seats, followed by China Eastern Airlines with 166,300 and China Southern Airlines with 158,000.
The U.S. airline schedule equates to about 28,200 two-way seats per week, compared with an average of approximately 69,300 in winter 2019-20. Chinese carriers offer approximately 32,100 weekly seats, down from about 109,500. Combined weekly capacity this winter will therefore remain around 66.3% below pre-pandemic levels.
Sabre Market Intelligence data shows the limited capacity recovery has not been matched by stronger commercial performance. An estimated 4.34 million O&D passengers traveled between the U.S. and China during the 12 months through June 2026, up just 0.5% from 4.32 million a year earlier.
Wider economic ties have also weakened. U.S. goods and services trade with China fell 25.1% to an estimated $494.6 billion in 2025, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Elsewhere, U.S. airlines are also seeking further flexibility in the Cuba market. American has requested a dormancy waiver covering all its U.S.-Cuba authorities during winter 2026-27. The carrier holds rights for 8X-daily Miami-Havana roundtrips and 6X-daily roundtrips linking Miami with Camaguey, Holguin, Matanzas/Varadero, Santiago de Cuba and Santa Clara.
“Market conditions continue to present challenges to the rebound of U.S.-Cuba passenger demand,” American said. The airline stressed that it does not intend to exit any Cuban market it currently serves. Instead, the waiver would allow it to adjust frequencies while retaining the option to restore capacity if conditions improve.
Delta is seeking a waiver for 14 of its 21X-weekly Havana frequencies, covering all seven Atlanta-Havana rights and seven of its 14 Miami-Havana frequencies. The airline currently operates Miami-Havana daily but has not restored Atlanta service.
“Current U.S.-Cuba market demand does not support these flights,” Delta said. It added that “the ongoing economic conditions in Cuba have meaningfully contributed to the depressed demand for travel.”
Southwest Airlines is requesting relief covering its 14X-weekly Cuba frequencies from Sept. 15 through March 27. The airline currently operates one daily Tampa-Havana flight after previously receiving a waiver for the other seven frequencies. United is also seeking to extend the suspension of its Houston-Havana service through winter 2026-27.
OAG data shows U.S.-Cuba capacity remains well below levels seen two years ago. Airlines are scheduled to provide approximately 608,900 two-way seats during winter 2026-27. Although this represents a 5.7% increase from the previous winter, it is 31.6% below winter 2024-25.
The number of nonstop airport pairs has fallen from 15 to eight during the same period.
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