The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Oct. 4
Indian carrier IndiGo will launch a new domestic route this month. The airline will open service between Pune and Bhopal from Oct. 27, operating the route daily. “The introduction of this new route not only promotes tourism but also fosters important business interactions between the two destinations,” Indigo said, adding it is “committed to addressing growing demand.” The airline noted Pune is “a hub for IT and business” and also “a major hub for the automotive industry in India.”
SAS will return to Budapest Airport (BUD) next year. From April 3, 2025, the Scandinavian carrier will start flights between BUD and Copenhagen Airport (CPH), operating the route 4X-weekly. SAS will use an Airbus A320 on the route. The SkyTeam carrier will compete against three airlines on the BUD-CPH service: Norwegian, Ryanair and Wizz Air. According to VINCI Airports, which manages BUD, there will be more than 4,300 weekly seats on the BUD-CPH route as of April 7, 2025. SAS will operate 16% of those seats. Máté Ritter, head of airline development at BUD, said: "The demand for travel between Budapest and the Danish capital continues to grow, and the return of SAS will allow us to better meet this need while enhancing our overall connectivity to Scandinavia." SAS has previously operated to BUD, but is not currently.
Alaska Airlines has launched service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to two destinations: Pasco, Washington, and Reno, Nevada. Flights to Pasco will be operated daily, while Reno service will be 2X-daily. Both LAX routes are being flown with Embraer 175 aircraft. Alaska also has commenced service between San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Las Vegas, which will be the airline’s 39th destination from SAN. Also from SAN, the carrier has started service to Sonoma County, California. Both the SAN routes will be flown daily with E175s. Alaska has also resumed service between Portland, Oregon, and Atlanta, flying the route daily with a Boeing 737-900.
Edinburgh Airport in Scotland said it has launched a £5.8 million ($7.7 million) project to redesign its check-in hall. “This project will deliver more space for passengers and introduce new self-service technology and digital wayfinding,” the airport said. The areas of focus are currently used by Ryanair and Jet2.com.
Oct. 3
Oct. 2
Frontier Airlines has unveiled plans to launch 22 new routes in December, including five services from Tampa. “From the West Coast to New England, and from the Rocky Mountains to Florida's beaches, we look forward to connecting even more consumers with our ultra-low-fare flight options,” says Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design at Frontier.
LOT Polish Airlines has resumed flights between Warsaw and Lyon. The service will operate six times per week using Embraer 195 aircraft. “The connection between Warsaw and Lyon opens up a number of opportunities for the tourism and business sectors, as it stimulates trade and international cooperation,” LOT CEO Michał Fijoł says.
Caribbean Airlines is opening four new services from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in December. Starting on Dec. 3, flights to Fort de France, Martinique, will be 3X-weekly, while a Port of Spain-Bridgetown-Fort de France route will operate weekly. Operations on Port of Spain-Saint Lucia-Dominica-Pointe a Pitre and Port of Spain-Bridgetown-Pointe a Pitre will each be 2X-weekly from Dec. 7. “For the first time in years, journeys that would traditionally take several hours are now reduced to just 90 min., giving travelers back their most valuable resource: time,” Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Medera says.
South African Airways will commence a third daily frequency connecting Windhoek, Namibia, to Johannesburg from Oct. 27. The additional frequencies will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft. “The new flight will provide much-needed capacity and offer consumers with more choice and flexibility when traveling between the two destinations,” says Bisey Uirab, CEO of Namibia Airports Company.
Oct. 1
Qantas has launched Airbus A380 service between Sydney and Johannesburg, marking the first time the aircraft type has been used between Australia and South Africa. The A380 will fly up to six times per week and will see a near-doubling of capacity, with an extra 130,000 seats every year. Qantas also intends to relaunch flights from Johannesburg to Perth from mid-2025, subject to meeting border agency requirements in Western Australia. The carrier has also signed a codeshare agreement with South Africa’s Airlink. Qantas will add its QF code on Airlink's domestic network, enabling connectivity between Qantas flights to Johannesburg and nine South African destinations. It hopes to add additional Airlink destinations in nearby southern African countries over the coming months, pending regulatory approval.
Gulf Air and Thai Airways have expanded their codeshare partnership. Gulf Air will add 10 new destinations to its network via Thai Airways, bringing the total number of codeshare routes to 14. Thai Airways will add six new destinations to its network via Gulf Air, bringing the total number of codeshare routes to eight. “This strategic move not only enhances operational efficiency across our networks, but also provides our passengers with even greater choice and convenience, connecting them to even more exciting destinations across Asia and Australia via Bangkok,” a spokesperson for Gulf Air says.
Delta Air Lines plans to introduce five new routes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Starting on March 9, 2025, the carrier will open a nonstop route to Panama City, Florida, operating daily by Delta Connection carrier SkyWest on an Embraer ERJ-175 aircraft. Flights to Memphis and Indianapolis will begin on May 7, each operating daily by SkyWest using ERJ-175s. On June 8, Delta will round out its latest expansion with nonstop service to San Francisco and Tampa. The SkyTeam alliance member plans to offer daily service to both cities using Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
Air Serbia and China Southern Airlines have agreed to further enhance their commercial cooperation. The carriers have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including codesharing, cargo operations and ground handling services. Air Serbia launched a new route between Belgrade and Guangzhou, the home hub for Chia Southern, in late September. Flights will be 2X-weekly using Airbus A330-200 equipment.
China Eastern Airlines has launched two new routes to Italy. Service between Shanghai Pudong and Venice will operate three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while flights between Xi'an and Milan Malpensa will also be offered 3X-weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. “These new routes not only provide more convenient travel options for passengers between China and Italy but also open up fresh opportunities for cultural and economic exchanges between the two nations,” a statement from the airline says. China Eastern has also commenced a 3X-weekly route between Shanghai Pudong and Kazan, Russia, with Airbus A330-200 equipment.
Transavia has inaugurated a new route from Amsterdam to Granada, Spain. Flights will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, the LCC now serves 14 destinations in Spain from Amsterdam, including offering 3X-daily flights to both Alicante and Malaga.
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