The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
American Airlines Replaced Its 84-Mile Chicago Bus With Bombardier CRJ700 Jets After Travelers Booked 'Flights' That Weren't
The carrier replaced an 84-mile bus ride with jets, but cut departures in half. Why did South Bend get flights while Rockford lost its link?
American Airlines has swapped a short, 84-mile bus connection for a Bombardier CRJ700 jet service between South Bend Regional Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The change converted what had been marketed as a connecting flight with its own flight number into an all-jet link on the same route.
The new operation reportedly began in October 2026, according to WNDU, and uses a regional jet rather than the prior motorcoach service. The move reduces the number of daily departures available to travelers on this connection.
American had previously marketed the motorcoach ride between SBN and ORD as part of its network, with access implied to the airline’s broader global system. The shift to jets alters the mode of transport along this short corridor without other route details disclosed.
The report raises questions about whether replacing the bus with jets addresses the underlying issues of this unusually short connection, without providing details on changes to schedules, capacity, or overall travel times. No additional outcomes, impacts, or inventory specifics are provided in the available material.