American Airlines announced today that it’s expanding its northeastern U.S. shuttle service to include flights between Chicago and New York. Beginning April 4, American will offer hourly direct flights on weekdays between O’Hare and New York LaGuardia—with complimentary beer and wine on offer, even in economy.
The new Chicago leg will offer 15 flights a day on weekdays and will use dedicated gates at both airports to keep that schedule consistent, the airline says. Another perk of the shuttle operation is extended check-in time—at O’Hare, you’ll be able to check up to 25 minutes before departure time if you’re not checking a bag. American currently offers short-hop shuttles between LaGuardia, Boston’s Logan Airport and Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National.