American Airlines will add more flights in July on improving demand, the company said, suggesting the industry had seen the worst of the hit from the coronavirus shutdowns.

The announcement boosted airline shares including American's, which surged 26.4 per cent to $14.97 in morning trading.

Citing increased interest from consumers in US states that have reopened more quickly from coronavirus shutdowns, the major carrier will fly 55pc of its domestic schedule in July and nearly 20pc of its international schedule.

“We're seeing a slow but steady rise in domestic demand. After a careful review of data, we've built a July schedule to match,” said Vasu Raja, American's senior vice president of network strategy.