American Airlines says it will fly the Boeing 787 from Philadelphia to both international and domestic destinations starting in January.

The aircraft, nicknamed the Dreamliner and applauded for its bigger windows, quieter flights, improved cabin air circulation and lighter weight, will serve international routes from Philadelphia to Amsterdam, Zurich and Manchester as well as two domestic routes: Philadelphia-Chicago and Philadelphia-Dallas.

American laid out its new Philadelphia 787 destinations on Wednesday in a letter to pilots from J.C. Gulbranson, vice president of operations and crew performance.

The new flights are just the start of a 787 buildup in Philadelphia which will require the establishment of a 787-crew base in the city, Gulbranson wrote.

"PHL will continue to see an increase in Boeing 787 flying long term," he wrote. "To support this network growth, we will open a pilot bid position for Boeing 787s in PHL in January 2020."

Until that base is fully staffed, some of the flights will be flown by 787 pilots based on Dallas and Chicago, he said.

The establishment of the Philadelphia 787 base appears to represent the first chance for former US Airways pilots to both remain in their home base and fly the Dreamliner.

The letter said Philadelphia flight attendants will be offered classes in order to qualify for 787 assignments starting in January 2020.