The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
July 12
Turkish Airlines has opened a new route connecting Istanbul Airport and Turin, Italy. Flights will operate daily using a mix of Boeing 737-8s, 737-800s and Airbus A321s, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Turin becomes the Star Alliance member’s 349th destination worldwide and the ninth in Italy.
Brazilian carriers GOL Linhas Aéreas and Azul have put 40 codeshare routes on sale following a commercial agreement announced in May. Twenty of the non-overlapping routes are operated by GOL, and 20 by Azul. "The partnership between Azul and GOL is the fastest way to foster air travel within Brazil,” Azul President Abhi Shah says.
Jetsmart has inaugurated a new route connecting Buenos Aries Ezeiza International Airport and Curitiba, the capital of the state of Parana in southern Brazil. Flights will be offered three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Curitiba is the third Brazilian destination served nonstop by the ULCC from Buenos Aires after Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis.
July 11
LOT Polish Airlines is launching a new year-round route connecting Warsaw and Lyon. Flights will be offered six times per week from Sept. 30 using Embraer E195 aircraft. The Star Alliance member says the service is in response to “growing demand for direct connections between Poland and central and eastern France.”
Mexican ULCC Volaris has inaugurated a new route between Cancun and McAllen, Texas. Operations will be twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Fernanda Pereda, U.S. sales and market development manager at Volaris, says the service will attract VFR traffic and cater to U.S. leisure travelers visiting Cancun.
Malaysia Airlines and China Southern Airlines have expanded their codeshare partnership. It will now include Guangzhou-Penang, Kuala Lumpur-Beijing Daxing and Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai Pudong. The move follows the launch of the carriers' codeshare flights on the Guangzhou-Kuala Lumpur route last July.
Alaska Airlines has announced plans to launch 18 seasonal services during the winter 2024-25 season. The expansion includes the carrier’s first-ever service to Vail, Colorado. The new nonstop routes include Fresno-Guadalajara, San Diego-Reno and Kansas-Cancun.
July 10
Air Arabia plans to launch a new route connecting Sharjah and Vienna during the winter 2024-25 season. Flights will start on Dec. 20, operating four times per week using Airbus A320 aircraft. “The addition of Vienna to Air Arabia’s expanding European network, not only strengthens the airline’s commitment to providing affordable travel globally but also opens exciting opportunities for both leisure and business travelers,” Air Arabia group CEO Adel Al Ali says.
Colombia’s Avianca will resume flights between Bogota El Dorado International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Oct. 27 after a five-year absence. Operations will be daily using Airbus A320 equipment. Chicago becomes the 13th city served by Avianca in North America. “The return of this route will strengthen connectivity between the Americas, allowing millions of travelers in South America, Central America, the Caribbean and even Europe to connect with the Windy City, through Bogotá,” the carrier says in a statement.
Delta Air Lines and Saudi Arabian startup Riyadh Air have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that includes plans to offer interline and codeshare connectivity. The airlines also intend to cooperate on loyalty and MRO services. Riyadh Air is expected to begin operations in 2025. Delta CEO Ed Bastian says the partnership will “open an array of new choices, benefits and destinations” for passengers traveling to and from Saudi Arabia.
Bulgaria Air has introduced a new seasonal route connecting Varna and Frankfurt. Flights will be twice a week on Mondays and Saturdays using Embraer 190s. The service becomes the airline’s second to Frankfurt alongside its existing 3X-weekly operation from Sofia. Bulgaria Air also flies to Berlin in Germany from Sofia.
July 9
Iberia and Widerøe have established an interline agreement aimed at improving connectivity between Spain and Norway. The partnership will cover 14 destinations in Norway served by Widerøe, including Bodo, Stavanger and Trondheim. Iberia currently serves Oslo year-round and Bergen during the summer months. Flights to Tromsø will debut this winter.
South Africa’s FlySafair plans to launch a new route to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) in Nelspruit, the gateway to the Kruger National Park. Flights from Johannesburg will operate twice a week, starting on Aug. 2. The move comes after the airline opened a 2X-weekly route from Cape Town to MQP in April.
German leisure carrier Condor has commenced flights connecting Dortmund Airport (DTM) and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The route will operate three times per week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays using Airbus A320 aircraft. As the same time, Condor becomes a new airline partner for DTM. “The connection to Palma is a good start for the partnership, as Mallorca has been one of the most popular all-year-round travel destinations at Dortmund Airport for years—for both package and individual travelers,” says Guido Miletic, DTM head of airport services, marketing and sales.
Beond Airlines has opened a new route linking Milan Malpensa and Male, Maldives. The premium leisure airline will offer two roundtrips per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays using Airbus A319 aircraft. The launch comes less than three months after Beond announced plans to launch fifth-freedom flights between Zurich International Airport and Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport.
Aerolineas Argentinas has started flying between Buenos Aires Aeroparque J. Newbery and Porto Seguro, a city located in the far south of Bahia, Brazil. Service will initially be once a week on Saturdays, rising to twice a week during September. OAG Schedules Analyser data shows the airline will deploy Boeing 737s on the sector.
July 8
Three new routes to Spain are being launched by Wizz Air. The first service will see the ULCC connect Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) with Malaga Airport, operating four times per week using Airbus A321neos, starting on Sept. 10. Budapest-Gran Canaria will commence on Oct. 26 with two flights per week, followed by a 4X-weekly MXP-Valencia service from Oct. 29.
Korean Air has launched a new route connecting Seoul Incheon International Airport and Macau International Airport. Service will be daily, initially using Boeing 737-800 aircraft before switching to Airbus A321neos from July 15. The carrier has also confirmed plans to open a 3X-weekly service between Seoul and Lisbon, Portugal, starting on Sept. 11. “This will further strengthen the role of Macau as the service platform for trade and tourism cooperation between the Mainland of China and Portuguese-speaking countries,” a statement from Korean Air says.
AirAsia X has resumed flights from Kuala Lumpur to Changsha, China. Operations will be 4X-weekly using Airbus A330-300 aircraft, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. The LCC previously served the route until the onset of the pandemic in February 2020. AirAsia X now flies to six destinations in mainland China from Kuala Lumpur, serving Beijing Daxing, Changsha, Chengdu Tianfu, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Xi’an.
German leisure carrier Condor has introduced its new Airbus A330neo aircraft on flights between Frankfurt Airport and Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Canada. The aircraft replaces Boeing 767s on the sector. “This next-generation aircraft brings increased passenger and cargo capacity to the region and with our just announced codeshare agreement with WestJet provides seamless connectivity throughout Canada and opens up even more options for Canadians traveling to Europe this summer,” Condor director of sales for the Americas Mikko Turtiainen says.
Solomon Airlines has commenced service between Vanuatu's Santo-Pekoa International Airport and Brisbane Airport, Australia. Flights will be weekly using Airbus A320 aircraft. “The re-established connectivity, thanks to Solomon Airlines, provides a welcome boost to the local tourism economy and will help us to continually see Australian visitation numbers rise as we welcome holidaymakers to our shores in 2024 and beyond,” Vanuatu Tourism Office CEO Adela Issachar Aru says.
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