The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Jan. 7
Air Arabia is to launch its new nonstop flights to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Starting Jan. 30, the new service will connect Sharjah International Airport with Addis Ababa Bole International Airport with three flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The LCC will use Airbus A320 aircraft on the route. “This new route reflects Air Arabia’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and fostering economic and cultural ties between the UAE and Ethiopia,” Group CEO Adel Al Ali says.
EasyJet has opened a new route from Newcastle International Airport (NCL), England, to Lyon. The service will operate weekly on Saturdays throughout January and February during the ski season. “This new route not only provides our customers with even more choice to visit one of France's most vibrant cities, but it also opens up convenient connections to the French Alps,” says NCL COO Richard Knight.
Loong Air is increasing the frequency of flights between Xi’an, capital of the western Chinese province of Shaanxi, and Samarkand International Airport, Uzbekistan. The introduction of an additional frequency takes the route to 3X-weekly. The move comes as Xi’an was on Jan. 7 announced as the host destination for Routes Asia 2026.
Icelandair President and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason says the carrier expects 8% growth in its route network this year, adding that “the outlook for 2025 is promising.” The carrier plans to focus on capacity increases “during the off-peak months driving improved utilization of Icelandair’s infrastructure.” Bogason says, “Demand for travel is strong, as was for example reflected in the sales of gift certificates in 2024.” The airline transported a record of 4.7 million passengers in 2024, marking a rise of 9% on the previous 12 months.
Jan. 6
Avianca is strengthening connectivity between South America and Florida with several new routes, including a connection between Tampa and Bogota, marking Tampa's first direct route to South America in nearly 50 years. The airline will also introduce flights connecting Fort Lauderdale with Medellin, Colombia, and Managua, Nicaragua, as well as Miami with San José, Costa Rica, and Guatemala City, Guatemala. With these additions, Avianca’s network will grow to 16 routes from South America to Florida. “These new routes address the needs of our customers and provide an opportunity to offer more direct flights to key destinations in both regions where we already have a strong presence,” says Avianca CEO Frederico Pedreira.
Germany’s Condor is launching a new route to Panama during the summer 2025 season, opening a 2X-weekly service between Frankfurt and Panama City. Flights are scheduled to commence on June 11 using Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. The planned addition comes weeks after the airline announced it will discontinue service from Frankfurt to several North American destinations following a German Federal Court of Justice ruling. The court overturned a longstanding measure enforced by the German Antitrust Authority that required Lufthansa to provide feeder flights to Condor’s network. Routes to Baltimore, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix and San Antonio in the U.S. are being canceled, alongside service to Edmonton and Halifax in Canada. In December 2024, Condor also pulled all service to Cuba from late April 2025, ending routes from Frankfurt to Hanana, Holguin and Varadero.
Royal Air Maroc is opening a new domestic route connecting Rabat and Dakhla. Flights will start on Jan. 15, operating twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays. The launch of the route is in partnership with the Dakhla Oued-Eddahab region as part of efforts to improve air connectivity. As part of the agreement, the roundtrip fare on the route is capped at 2000 DH ($198) in economy class.
Air Arabia has launched a new route between Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Flights will operate weekly on Fridays using Airbus A320 aircraft. With the addition of the new route to Tashkent, Air Arabia now offers flights from Ras Al Khaimah to eight destinations, including Cairo; Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, Pakistan; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Calicut, India; and Moscow. Additionally, the carrier operates nonstop flights to Tashkent from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
Brazil’s Azul Linhas Aéreas has wet-leased a Boeing 777-200 aircraft from EuroAtlantic Airways to help meet “the significant increase in demand” for flights between Brazil and Portugal. The aircraft is now operating between Sao Paulo Viracopos Airport and Lisbon Airport. EuroAtlantic says there is the “potential for additional aircraft to be added in 2025.”
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