The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Nov. 1
Delta Air Lines will resume its nonstop flights between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Lagos, Nigeria, on Dec. 2, 2024, running through March 28, 2025, to meet the high holiday season demand. Operating daily in December and January, this route will complement Delta’s existing daily Atlanta-Lagos flights. Service on the New York JFK-Lagos route will use Airbus A330-200 aircraft. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, the carrier last served the route in October 2022.
Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) has launched a new 3X-weekly service between Hong Kong and Yonago, marking its third destination in Japan after Tokyo and Osaka. “We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude particularly to the Tottori Prefectural Government for their tremendous support to GBA,” GBA CEO Liza Ng says. The carrier has also scheduled service to another two destinations in Japan—Tokushima and Sendai—to be launched in November and December 2024, respectively.
Cathay Pacific has launched a new nonstop service between Hong Kong and Riyadh. Service will be 3X-weekly on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. “The new service further expands our footprint in the Middle East—an important region in the world—while promoting opportunities for business, trade and tourism along the Belt and Road,” Cathay Group Chair Patrick Healy says.
Jetstar Asia has resumed its daily service between Singapore Changi Airport and Medan's Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) using Airbus A320 aircraft. The service will provide more than 130,000 seats annually, supporting both business and leisure travel. This resumption marks Jetstar Asia’s fourth Indonesian destination, alongside Denpasar, Jakarta and Surabaya. “Singapore remains a favorite destination from our catchment area, and Medan provides a diverse variety of weekend getaway options from Singapore,” says KNO Director for Commercial and Business Development Kedar Deshpande.
Transavia France, the LCC arm of the Air France-KLM Group, has inaugurated a new route from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport to Dubai, marking its third route from the airport following recent launches to Algerian destinations Algiers and Oran. Service to Dubai will be 2X-weekly.
Oct. 31
Starting May 21, 2025, Air France will introduce a new direct service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Orlando, Florida, operating four times per week on Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This addition will make Orlando Air France's 18th U.S. destination and 25th in North America, expanding travel options to Florida. Operations will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Emirates has strengthened its African network by adding more flights to Entebbe, Uganda; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Johannesburg, South Africa. Starting Oct. 27, the airline increased its Dubai-Entebbe service to daily, operated on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, adding 718 weekly seats. Emirates will also launch daily flights to Addis Ababa from Jan. 1, 2025, supporting Ethiopia’s goal of becoming a top tourist destination. Johannesburg will see a fourth daily flight from March 1, 2025, restoring Emirates' South African services to pre-pandemic levels.
TUI Airways is returning to Southampton Airport, England, after a 15-year hiatus with a weekly flight to Palma De Mallorca, Spain. Service will run from May 27, 2025, through Sept. 20. “We understand how important it is for customers to have access to flights from their local airports, and this latest addition brings the number of regional airport that TUI Airways fly from to 24,” says TUI UK Director of Aviation Planning Karen Switzer. The move is a boost for Southampton Airport following British Airways’ decision to drop routes from the airport next summer, including flights to Palma.
Swiss will add four new nonstop destinations from Zurich to its 2025 summer schedule, offering flights to Dubrovnik, Croatia; Heringsdorf, Germany; Montpellier, France; and Niš, Serbia. The expanded routes include 5X-weekly flights to Dubrovnik from April 17 through October 2025, as well as weekly flights to Heringsdorf, and twice-weekly services to Montpellier and Niš in July and August. Swiss will also continue its newly launched non-stop Geneva-Berlin route into the summer season.
Edelweiss is also expanding from Zurich, adding six new destinations to its 2025 summer schedule, including Bristol, England; Calvi, Corsica; Terceira, Azores; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Zadar, Croatia. Additionally, Kittilä, Finland—introduced in winter 2024-25—will be served year-round. The schedule includes twice-weekly flights to Bristol (June–September), Tbilisi (April–October) and Zadar (June–August). Weekly flights will operate to Calvi (July–September), Terceira (June–September) and Kittilä (June–September).
Etihad Airways and Vietnam Airlines have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore a deeper partnership, potentially including codeshare flights, reciprocal loyalty programs, cargo services, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and ground handling. The airlines already have an interline agreement. “This MOU is an important milestone to establishing a long-term mutually beneficial collaboration, opening the door for both airlines to explore the benefits of a deeper relationship,” Etihad Vice President for Alliances Jurriaan Stelder says. Earlier this week, Vietnam Airlines also signed an MoU with Emirates.
EasyJet has launched new winter routes from Glasgow to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, operating 2X-weekly throughout the season. “These added services not only enhance the convenience and choice available at Glasgow Airport but also highlight easyJet's strong commitment to growing its network here, underscored by the addition of a sixth based aircraft this year,” Glasgow Airport Managing Director Mark Beveridge says.
Thai AirAsia has launched five new international routes from Thailand, enhancing connectivity to India, Vietnam and Cambodia. Inaugural flights took off from Bangkok Don Mueang to Hyderabad and Phu Quoc on Oct. 27, while flights from Phuket departed to Kolkata (Oct. 27), Siem Reap (Oct. 29) and Chennai (Oct. 30). On the Thailand-India market, the LCC’s Head of Commercial Tansita Akrarittipirom says, “Based on the travel demand growth between both countries, we expect to close the year with an average load factor of over 90% for our Indian routes.”
Budapest Airport has announced the addition of five new routes from Wizz Air in the winter 2024-25 season. The expansion includes flights to Marrakesh, Morocco; Gran Canaria, Spain; Salerno, Italy; Genova, Italy; and Memmingen, Germany, adding nearly 2,400 weekly seats.
Oct. 30
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi plans to launch a new service to Russia. Commencing on Dec. 27, the service between Abu Dhabi and Yekaterinburg will operate twice a week using Airbus A320 aircraft. Yekaterinburg becomes the second Russian city served by Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, after Moscow. “Our commitment remains focused on providing affordable, value-driven air travel, fostering connections between the UAE and Russia and offering passengers more options to explore new destinations,” Group CEO Adel Al Ali says.
Etihad Airways will open a 2X-weekly service to Al Alamein in Egypt starting July 2025, offering direct access to the Al Sahel region on the Mediterranean coast. The new route will operate on Thursdays and Sundays with Airbus A320 aircraft. “Al Alamein is the entry point to Egypt’s hidden gem, offering a mix of natural beauty and cultural history, and we are sure it will become a popular choice for guests seeking relaxation and adventure,” says Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves.
Shenzhen Airlines has launched its first route to the Middle East with direct flights between Shenzhen, China, and Doha, Qatar. Operating three 3X-weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, the route is served by Airbus A330-300 aircraft, offering 300 seats across business, premium economy and economy classes. “Our traffic performance between Qatar and China has shown remarkable growth, increasing by almost 100% last year, reflecting the strong demand for travel between our nations,” says Doha’s Hamad International Airport COO Hamad Ali Al-Khater.
ITA Airways has launched its first route to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a daily nonstop flight between Rome Fiumicino and Dubai. The new route, operated with an Airbus A321neo, strengthens the carrier’s Middle East network, adding Dubai to existing services to Riyadh and Jeddah. CCO Emiliana Limosani says the route will enhance tourism and trade between Italy and the UAE, supporting ITA’s network expansion strategy.
India’s IndiGo has announced daily flights between Pune and Dubai, set to begin on Nov. 22. With this addition, IndiGo will operate 383 weekly flights from Pune, connecting to more than 25 domestic and two international destinations. It also means that IndiGo will now operate more than 100 weekly flights to Dubai from 13 cities in India.
Emirates has reinstated its daily flights between Dubai and Adelaide, Australia, offering more than 4,200 weekly seats with a Boeing 777-200LR. This aircraft provides 302 seats across business and economy classes, allowing more than 220,400 passengers annually to travel between Dubai and South Australia. Emirates’ return is projected to boost South Australia’s economy by an estimated A$160 million ($105 million), with A$62 million in tourism spending and over 315 tourism-related jobs created.
Norse Atlantic Airways has launched its inaugural flight between London Gatwick and Cape Town, South Africa. The new route will operate up to three times per week using Boeing 787 aircraft this winter season. “Every year over 400,000 British tourists come to this amazing country and these vital people-to-people links also sustain our most important trade and economic partnership in Africa,” says British High Commissioner to South Africa Antony Phillipson.
British Airways has resumed flights to Bangkok after a four-year break. The inaugural flight departed from London Gatwick at 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 28, arriving at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport the following day. Initially scheduled at three flights per week, the route will increase to five weekly flights in early 2025. The airline’s expanded codeshare with Bangkok Airways will also enable connections from Bangkok to popular destinations like Koh Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
Oct. 29
Spain’s Iberia has launched flights between Madrid and Tokyo, establishing the only direct connection between Spain and Japan. The service from Madrid to Tokyo Narita Airport will be 3X-weekly using Airbus A350s. Iberia says the new route will generate €100 million ($108 million) for the GDP of both countries during the first year of operation, as well as creating around 1,900 direct and indirect jobs. "The launch of this route is a key step in our positioning as a destination in Asia, a key part of our strategy aimed at attracting high-value tourists," says Luis Martín Izquierdo, deputy minister of culture, tourism and sport of the Community of Madrid.
Delta Air Lines has resumed its nonstop route between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport. The daily flight will be operated using Airbus A330-900neo aircraft through March 29, 2025. Furthermore, starting Dec. 14, Delta will launch a new seasonal service between Atlanta and Buenos Aires, adding a second daily flight to its year-round schedule. This will be available through Jan. 14, 2025.
Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aéreas is adding a new route to Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport. Flights from Brasilia will be offered five times per week from Jan. 7, 2025, using Boeing 737 aircraft. The route will be operated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, both outbound and return.
Air Arabia has inaugurated its first nonstop flight connecting Sharjah International Airport and Velana International Airport in Malé, Maldives. Operations will be daily using Airbus A320 equipment. “The direct connection to Sharjah will boost arrivals from the Middle Eastern market and broaden connections to numerous cities worldwide, strengthening [Velana’s] position in regional and global aviation with each new route,” says Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, CEO and managing director of Maldives Airports Company Limited.
Dominican Republic-based Arajet has opened a base at Punta Cana International Airport, connecting the Caribbean tourist hub to 14 destinations across the Americas. New routes include cities such as Kingston, Lima, Mexico City, Bogotá and Buenos Aires. This marks Arajet's second Dominican base, following Santo Domingo. “This strategic alliance responds to our mission of continuing to be the airport with the most air traffic in the Dominican Republic, receiving 68% of the tourists who arrive in our country,” says Giovanni Rainieri, airside operations director at Punta Cana Airport.
Qantas has launched a new 4X-weekly service linking Brisbane and Manila using Airbus A330 aircraft. The move adds more than 100,000 seats between Australia and the Philippines each year. It also enhances Qantas' existing network in the Philippines, which includes daily services from Sydney to Manila. “The Philippines is one of the world's fastest-growing economies and a key trading partner for Queensland,” Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff says. “With our state home to a vibrant Filipino community, the business and tourism opportunities generated by this expanded connectivity will no doubt be a success.”
EasyJet has introduced a new route between Newcastle International Airport (NCL), England, and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Flights will operate up to six times per week. The LCC also plans to increase service between NCL and Amsterdam from 2X-weekly to daily from the end of October.
Philippine LCC Cebu Pacific has expanded its services from Davao, adding more domestic and international routes. Daily flights now connect Davao with Caticlan and Puerto Princesa, while a 4X-weekly service links Davao to Hong Kong. Additionally, the carrier has launched new 3X-weekly flights to Bangkok Don Mueang and Tacloban.
Oct. 28
American Airlines inaugurated its first direct flight from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Brisbane Airport (BNE) today, marking Brisbane as its second Australian destination. Initially operating five flights per week using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, the service will expand to daily in December, coinciding with peak season. This route is backed by Queensland’s A$200 million ($132 million) Attracting Aviation Investment Fund. “Texas is the second-most populated state of America with around 30 million residents, and American Airlines is the biggest airline in the world by passengers carried, so this arrival couldn't be more exciting for Brisbane and more broadly Queensland,” says Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Patricia O'Callaghan.
Etihad Airways launched Airbus A350-1000 service between Abu Dhabi and Toronto, having previously used Boeing 777-300ER equipment on the daily route. Starting Nov. 1, the airline will also increase its Boston service to daily flights, just six months after the route's launch. The carrier now operates 42 weekly flights to North America, including daily service to New York, Chicago, Toronto and Washington, D.C.
Air Canada has launched a Calgary-London Heathrow-New Delhi service. The route will operate daily using Boeing 787 aircraft through March 29, 2029. The first flight on the route started on Oct. 27.
Universal Air’s winter 2024-25 schedule will see additional flights between Malta and Tripoli, Libya, operating 3X-weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Palermo, Italy, and Nice, France, will each be served 3X-weekly, while Pécs, Hungary, will see two flights per week. Routes to several leisure destinations, including Salerno, Italy; Ibiza, Spain; and Corfu, Greece, are being paused for the winter season, but are set to resume in summer 2025.
Vietjet has introduced its 12th direct route between Vietnam and South Korea, linking Nha Trang to Daegu with daily roundtrip flights. In the first nine months of 2024, Vietnam has welcomed 12.7 million international visitors, 3.3 million of which are from South Korea, making South Korea Vietnam’s largest international market.
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