Winners of the Routes World 2025 Awards in Hong Kong.
Five destinations, five airlines and five routes are shortlisted for the Destination, Airline and Route of the Year honors at the Routes World 2026 Awards, taking place in Frankfurt.
The Destination Award recognizes the support tourism organizations provide to airline partners, including joint marketing, market intelligence and initiatives that help build demand and sustain air services. The Airline Award celebrates collaboration in developing successful and profitable routes.
New for 2026, the Route of the Year Award highlights innovative and impactful route launches, recognizing the partnerships that turn network opportunities into new connections.
The Destination category has been reviewed and scored by a panel of airline judges, while the Airline and Route of the Year categories have been assessed by editorial judges.
These three categories form part of an expanded program of 11 awards, alongside five airport accolades, the Rising Star and Individual Leadership honors, and an Overall Winner.
Following our profiles of the airport finalists, today we look at the organizations and routes shortlisted in these three categories. The winners will be announced on Oct. 22 during the Routes World Networking Evening.
More News And Analysis From Routes World 2026
Destination
Cape Town Air Access, South Africa
Cape Town Air Access secured two new international airlines and six new routes in the 12 months to September 2026, while retaining all existing airlines and services. Twenty-one of Cape Town’s 26 international airlines implemented or announced capacity increases, with international seat capacity rising 15% for summer 2026. The Wesgro-led partnership supported airline growth through market intelligence, matched marketing funding and campaigns targeting travel trade and consumers. Familiarization trips included German tour operators, Malaysian travel agents and influencers from the UK and Norway. It also assisted with more than 30 regulatory cases, covering operating permits and bilateral air service agreements.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, U.S.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has supported 37 route launches or announcements by 11 airlines so far in 2026, representing 1.26 million additional annual seats. These included Air France’s Paris service and Qantas’ planned Sydney connection, scheduled to begin Dec. 29. Working with Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), the authority helped airlines replace 54% of capacity lost following Spirit Airlines’ shutdown, with no former Spirit market losing connectivity to Las Vegas. Support combined route-specific market intelligence, customized marketing, travel trade campaigns and launch promotions. The authority also aligned air service with major events, such as CES 2026.
Malta Tourism Authority, Malta
Malta Tourism Authority supported a network linking the island with more than 110 airports, focusing on year-round connectivity, market diversification and joint airline marketing. Its long-haul strategy helped secure Delta Air Lines’ nonstop service from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), launched in June 2026. Working with Malta International Airport (MLA), the authority directed marketing funding toward strategic routes, particularly during off-peak periods. Campaigns across digital, print and outdoor media directed consumers toward airlines serving their local markets, linking destination promotion with booking opportunities.
Joint activity included airline newsletters, social media, inflight content and familiarization trips.
Moroccan National Tourist Office, Morocco
The Moroccan National Tourist Office supported 7.74 million contracted seats for summer 2026, up 13% year over year, alongside 52 new international routes launched during the first half. Morocco welcomed nearly 20 million visitors in 2025, with arrivals increasing a further 7% through May 2026. The office helped develop transatlantic connectivity, including Delta Air Lines’ Atlanta-Marrakech service, launched in October 2025. United Airlines increased winter capacity on Newark-Marrakech after carrying more than 16,000 passengers during its inaugural season. Airline support combined demand forecasts, route business cases, joint marketing and travel trade engagement.
Turismo de Portugal, Portugal
Portugal added 47 international routes or services in summer 2026, including 20 new destinations and 14 new airlines compared with the previous summer. A further 30 services were confirmed for winter 2026-27, with Porto accounting for 24. Turismo de Portugal supported expansion through an incentive program providing marketing funding for up to three years. Airlines could match this with their own resources, tailoring campaigns to new routes, frequency increases and longer operating seasons. The tourism authority worked with airports and regional destinations to identify market gaps, develop business cases and review route performance.
Airline
Aegean Airlines, Greece
Aegean Airlines carried 17.3 million passengers in 2025 and planned 22.2 million available seats in 2026. Its 2026 network covered 164 destinations across 47 countries, including 32 domestic and 132 international points. The carrier combined expansion at major hubs with services to smaller markets, including Florence, Porto and Dubrovnik, alongside Tunis, Erbil and Baghdad. Aegean also expanded airline partnerships, adding codeshare agreements with IndiGo and Air China in 2026. Scheduled operations grew as the carrier reduced some charter activity. Its A320neo-family order commitment totaled 58 aircraft, with longer-range A321LRs intended to support expansion into India, Africa and the Caucasus from 2027.
Air Canada, Canada
Air Canada expanded its summer 2026 European schedule with routes including Montreal-Berlin, Montreal-Nantes, Toronto-Ponta Delgada and Halifax-Brussels. Its first Airbus A321XLR entered scheduled service in June, adding flexibility to develop transatlantic markets. The carrier’s Canadian hubs supported growing international connections, with sixth-freedom revenue increasing 9% year over year in the second quarter. Pacific traffic accounted for approximately half that growth. Passenger revenue per available seat rose 11%, driven by higher yields and load factors, while premium and corporate demand remained strong. Second-quarter operating revenue reached a record CA$6.3 billion ($4.4 billion), up 11%.
LATAM Airlines, Chile
LATAM Airlines Group increased capacity 8.9% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, including 11.8% internationally, and carried 21.1 million passengers. New Sao Paulo services to Amsterdam, Brussels and Cape Town expanded its links with Europe and Africa. The group worked with airports and tourism organizations to assess demand, seasonality and connectivity before launching routes. Joint marketing combined consumer campaigns, travel trade engagement, familiarization trips and destination promotion at both ends of a service. LATAM Airlines ended June with 383 aircraft. Planned Embraer 195-E2 and Airbus A321XLR additions are intended to broaden regional coverage and create new international route opportunities.
Transavia, Netherlands
Transavia retained all 14 routes launched over the past two years, using airport and destination partnerships to build demand within a capacity-constrained market. Its fleet renewal increased average seats per departure to 203 in summer 2026, compared with 189 on the Boeing 737-800s being replaced. The airline operated 19 joint marketing programs in 2026. Campaigns with Morocco and Trieste generated more than 12 million verified consumer contacts, while Rotterdam-Trieste passenger volumes rose 20% following a second joint campaign. Its Brussels base expanded to four aircraft, with more than 700,000 passengers expected in 2026. Transavia also worked with Eindhoven Airport to prepare for its 2027 runway closure.
Wizz Air, Hungary
Wizz Air added or announced more than 400 routes and 15 bases since 2025 as it redirected capacity toward European markets. The airline expected to carry 78.5 million passengers in 2026, up 21% year over year, across a network linking 191 airports in 45 countries. Airport partnerships supported schedule rebuilding, slot acquisition and capacity deployment as aircraft returned from Pratt & Whitney engine-related groundings. Wizz refocused on short- and medium-haul services, broadening its traffic mix beyond VFR to include domestic, leisure and business demand. Italy capacity rose 39% to 33 million seats, while Spain increased 70% to 18 million. Base developments included Palermo, Turin, Madrid and Valencia.
Route of the Year
Air France: Orlando-Paris
Air France returned to Orlando International Airport (MCO) from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in May 2025, restoring a route discontinued in 2012. The service carried more than 125,000 passengers during its first full year and expanded to daily flights in summer 2026. Orlando’s case for the return highlighted population growth, economic diversification and stronger premium demand. Air France reported an even split between U.S.-originating and international bookings, demonstrating demand beyond inbound tourism. The launch brought together the airport, Visit Orlando and Experience Kissimmee. Regional partners contributed more than $150,000 in direct and in-kind support, complementing the airport’s two-year incentive package.
IndiGo: Athens-Delhi
IndiGo launched Delhi-Athens in January 2026, alongside a Mumbai-Athens service, establishing scheduled nonstop connectivity between India and Greece. The routes used IndiGo’s first Airbus A321XLR, expanding Athens International Airport (ATH)'s long-haul network and marked a further step in the LCC’s international development. A codeshare partnership with Aegean Airlines extended the reach beyond Athens to other Greek and European destinations. Travelers originating in Greece also gained access to IndiGo’s domestic network through Delhi. The service followed collaboration between IndiGo, Athens airport and Aegean.
LATAM Airlines: Brussels-Sao Paulo
LATAM Airlines launched 3X-weekly flights between Brussels Airport (BRU) and Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) in June 2026, restoring Brussels’ nonstop connectivity with South America. Load factors exceeded 85% during the first two months, supporting continuation into winter. Around 40% of passengers connected beyond Sao Paulo within Brazil, while approximately 20% traveled onward from Brussels. The share of travelers in the Brussels-Brazil market requiring two or more connections fell from about 25% to 13%. The route followed discussions dating to 2014, backed by tourism boards, trade agencies and diplomatic partners. Forty-eight Belgian companies operating in Brazil wrote to LATAM Airlines' CEO supporting the service.
Scoot: Vienna-Singapore
Scoot launched Vienna-Singapore on June 3, 2025, restoring nonstop connectivity between Austria and Singapore after an 18-year absence. Average load factors exceeded 90%, supporting an increase from 3X-weekly to 4X-weekly services in late June 2026. Singapore-Vienna O&D traffic grew 66% year over year in the 12 months through June 2026, with the nonstop capturing 43% of the market. Existing one-stop demand remained stable, indicating additional traffic stimulation. Changi Airport Group, Vienna Airport and Scoot coordinated consumer campaigns, outdoor advertising and travel trade road shows in Vienna, Prague and Budapest, reaching more than 150 agents.
TAP Air Portugal: Los Angeles-Lisbon
TAP Air Portugal launched Los Angeles-Lisbon in May 2025, filling one of Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) largest unserved European markets. Initially planned as a summer service, the route became year-round after exceeding expectations, with average load factors of 88% in summer 2025 and 81% during winter 2025-26. Lisbon-Los Angeles O&D traffic increased 50% year over year in the first quarter of 2026. Around 60% of passengers connected beyond Lisbon, extending the route’s reach across TAP’s network. TAP, Los Angeles World Airports and tourism organizations coordinated market analysis, travel trade training, familiarization trips and launch events.
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