American Airlines Replaced Its 84-Mile Chicago Bus With Bombardier CRJ700 Jets After Travelers Booked 'Flights' That Weren't

American Airlines has replaced buses with jets on a route of just 84 miles (135 km), but the change comes with a catch: passengers now have fewer daily departures to choose from. The carrier had been selling a motorcoach ride between South Bend Regional Airport (SBN), Indiana, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) as a connecting flight, complete with an airline flight number and the promise of access to its global network. According to WNDU, the airline switched to the aircraft link in October 2026. Now, the question is whether replacing the bus with jets solves the problems of this unusually short connection.