The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Sept.13
Air Astana will launch new services from Atyrau, Kazakhstan, to Dubai on Oct. 26; from Astana to Abu Dhabi on Oct. 30; and from Almaty to Abu Dhabi on Dec. 12. Each route will operate twice a week using Airbus A321neo and A321LR aircraft. The new services expand Air Astana’s Middle East network, adding to its 20X-weekly flights from Almaty and Astana to Dubai, and 6X-weekly flights to Saudi Arabia. Yerbolat Baisalykov, senior vice president of revenue management and commercial planning, says the new routes are in response to the growing business and leisure traffic between Kazakhstan and the Middle East.
Colombia’s Avianca has announced plans to launch a 3X-weekly service between Bogotá and Buenos Aires Aeroparque starting Dec. 9, using a 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft. This new route complements Avianca's existing 15X-weekly flights between Bogotá and Buenos Aires Ezeiza, enhancing connectivity between Colombia and Argentina. The new service will add more than 1,080 seats per week to connect the two cities.
Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has announced a new Special Prorate Agreement (SPA) with Greece’s SKY express. This one-way SPA enables Gulf Air passengers to connect through Athens to 32 destinations across Greece served by SKY express. The agreement also offers connections from major European hubs such as Rome, Milan, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt and London to Bahrain via Athens.
Saudi Arabia’s flynas has launched two routes from Madinah to Bahrain and Doha. Service to Bahrain will be 3X-weekly, while Doha will receive two flights per week. The LCC says the new routes support Saudi Arabia’s National Civil Aviation Strategy to link the country to 250 international destinations and accommodate 330 million passengers annually by 2030.
Etihad Airways has announced the expansion of its Paris Charles de Gaulle services with double daily flights starting Jan. 15, 2025. The airline will reintroduce Airbus A380 service to the route from Nov. 1, followed by Boeing 787-9 on the second daily flight from January.
KLM and Aerolineas Argentinas have expanded their codeshare agreement, adding 11 new destinations for passengers traveling between Europe and South America. The newly available routes available to KLM passengers from Buenos Aires include Comodoro Rivadavia, Corrientes, Formosa, Jujuy, Neuquén, Posadas, Resistencia, San Carlos de Bariloche, San Juan, San Martin de Los Andes and Tucuman.
Sept. 12
Qatar Airways is expanding its operations to Saudi Arabia with the resumption of services to Abha. Flights will operate twice a week to Abha International Airport, effective Jan. 2, 2025. The Oneworld alliance member also plans to double frequencies to Neom to 4X-weekly during the northern winter 2024-25 season. Abha will become Qatar Airways’ 11thdestination in Saudi Arabia.
Flydubai has expanded its operations to Iran, launching direct flights to Kish Island and Kerman, bringing its total destinations in the country to eight. The Dubai-based LCC will operate four flights per week to Kish Island using Boeing 737-8 aircraft and two to Kerman using 737-800s. “At flydubai, we are committed to exploring new growth opportunities, removing barriers to travel and opening up markets and destinations that were previously underserved,” CCO Hamad Obaidalla says.
Eurowings plans to station an additional aircraft at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) during the winter 2024-25 season, increasing the number based there to seven. The LCC has also confirmed that daily flights from BER to Dubai International Airport will resume on Oct. 27, operating using Airbus A320neo equipment. A new route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is also being launched on Nov. 5, operating 3X-weekly with A320neos.
Philippine Airlines plans to increase frequencies on its domestic service connecting Cebu and Borongan. The number of flights will rise from 2X-weekly to 3X-weekly from Sept. 18. The airline is the sole operator of the route, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Additionally, the carrier intends to resume a 3X-weekly Clark-Siargao service from Dec. 3.
Korean Air has commenced flights between Seoul Incheon and Portugal’s capital Lisbon. The route will be served three times per week using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. “Previously, travelers heading to Portugal with Korean Air had to transfer in neighboring countries such as France or Spain,” the airline says in a statement. “However, the new direct flight to Lisbon offers significantly greater convenience for travelers, making it easier to explore Lisbon and nearby regions.”
Sept. 11
AirAsia is adding a new route from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, starting Dec. 3. Ho Chi Minh City marks the airline's 16th international destination operated by the LCC from Kota Kinabalu. Service on the new route will be 3X-weekly. AirAsia says the flights support Tourism Malaysia's goal of attracting 475,000 Vietnamese visitors this year and contributes to the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, which prioritizes Vietnam as a key market.
Qantas has launched its first nonstop flights from Brisbane to Port Vila, Vanuatu. The route will operate three times per week using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. With the launch of Jetstar Airways' 4X- weekly Sydney-Port Vila service from Dec. 12, the airlines will offer more than 150,000 new seats annually between Australia and Vanuatu. “The service offers Queenslanders an easy escape to paradise on our doorstep,” Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan Graaff says. “It also provides the growing number of people from Vanuatu now living in Queensland, particularly those working in the agricultural sector, with direct access to home and family.”
Ethiopian Airlines is opening a new route connecting Addis Ababa and Port Sudan, Sudan. Flights will commence on Oct. 1, operating daily using Boeing 737-8 equipment. “The inauguration of this new route emphasizes Ethiopian Airlines' dedication to broadening its presence throughout Africa, while simultaneously enhancing connectivity for both business and leisure travelers,” a statement from the carrier says. With the inclusion of Port Sudan, Ethiopian will serve 66 destinations within Africa.
Iceland’s Play plans to launch a weekly service from Reykjavik Keflavik Airport to Pula, Croatia, from May 31, 2025. Flights will be offered seasonally through Aug. 16. Pula becomes the airline’s second destination in Croatia alongside Split, which has been served weekly during the summer 2024 season. Play says frequencies to Split during summer 2025 will be 2X-weekly from April 14 through late October.
Transavia France is expanding its network between France and Algeria with the addition of four new routes during the winter 2024-25 season. Two routes are being opened from Toulouse, connecting the city to Oran from Oct. 23 and to Algiers from Oct. 24. Both sectors will be served twice a week. A further two routes are being opened to Algiers—a 5X-weekly service from Marseille from Oct. 21, and a 2X-weekly service from Nice from Oct. 27. “Demand is very strong from our customers, which is why we are very happy to offer new travel opportunities from Toulouse, Nice and Marseille,” says Nicolas Henin, deputy general manager for commercial and marketing.
Uzbekistan’s Air Samarkand is adding a third weekly scheduled return service from Samarkand to Istanbul Airport from Sept. 14. The new weekly Saturday flight will use a two-class Airbus A321 aircraft. “This third weekly rotation on the Samarkand-Istanbul service will deliver increased flexibility to our customers and help to satisfy the growing demand from business and leisure travelers on this route, with further increases likely very soon,” CEO Zafar Butaev says.
Iberia is increasing its offer between Madrid and Menorca during the winter 2024-25 season. Frequencies will rise from 14X to 15X-weekly from Oct. 28 following the introduction of a new Monday service. The airline says it plans to operate 71,000 seats on the route this coming winter.
Sept. 10
Dubai-based LCC flydubai and SriLankan Airlines have entered into an interline agreement, enhancing travel options between the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and beyond. The partnership grants flydubai passengers access to 16 destinations across SriLankan's network, including Melbourne, Seoul, and Tokyo. Conversely, SriLankan Airlines passengers can connect via Dubai to more than 30 flydubai destinations, such as Bucharest, Mombasa and Zanzibar. “Since the start of operations to Sri Lanka in 2010, we have seen consistent demand for travel between our two countries over the years,” flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith says. “Dubai remains an important thriving aviation hub and through these interline agreements, this will open up new horizons for our passengers, giving them more options to explore the world with ease.”
Hong Kong Airlines will expand its regional network with new flights to Chiang Mai, Thailand, starting Oct. 27 aboard Airbus A320 aircraft. This daily service marks the airline's third Thai destination, adding to its existing routes to Bangkok and Phuket. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, the carrier will compete in the market with HK Express and Thai AirAsia.
Jetstar Asia will resume flights between Singapore and Medan, Indonesia, after a four-year suspension. Frequencies will be daily from Nov. 1. Medan becomes the LCC’s fourth Indonesian destination alongside Jakarta, Denpasar and Surabaya. The service is expected to carry over 130,000 travelers annually. “Indonesia is a key market for our business and leisure travelers and with the reintroduction of our services to Medan, we’ll now be operating over 40 flights into Indonesia each week,” Jetstar Asia CEO John Simeone says.
Avianca has announced the launch of a new route between Medellín, Colombia, and San Salvador, El Salvador. Service will be daily from Oct. 27 using Airbus A320 equipment. The route is the 19th the airline has introduced in 2024, and the seventh aimed at boosting access and connections for Medellín and the surrounding region. Avianca will offer more than 2,500 seats per week between the destinations.
Moldova’s FLYONE is adding four new destinations to its international flight network, starting in spring 2025. The first new route, launching on April 17, will connect Chisinau to Bremen, Germany. Flights to Alicante, Spain, will start on June 7, followed by Copenhagen on June 17, and Lyon on June 19. FLYONE general director Mircea Maleca says the routes will help Moldova's diaspora return home, as well as catering for leisure and business demand.
Finnair has announced an expanded winter schedule, boosting its Asia network with daily flights from Helsinki to Phuket, Thailand, beginning January 2025. Initially, the route will operate once a week from Nov. 2, before increasing to 5X-weekly in December. The schedule complements Finnair’s existing double daily service to Bangkok. Additionally, the airline will offer daily direct flights to Dubai, up from 3X-weekly last winter.
Sept. 9
Vietjet will expand its flight network linking Vietnam, Taiwan and Hong Kong starting Oct. 27. The airline plans to increase the frequency of its flights on key routes, adding daily services between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Taipei, effectively doubling roundtrip flights on each route. Additionally, Vietjet will upgrade services from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc to Taichung and Kaohsiung to daily flights, raising its total weekly flights between Vietnam and Taiwan from 46 to 81. The airline will also boost its Vietnam-Hong Kong connections, with daily flights between Da Nang and Hong Kong, and Phu Quoc and Hong Kong, nearly doubling its roundtrip weekly flights on these routes from 11 to 18.
Cebu Pacific is set to offer a daily service between Sydney and Manila, marking the 10th anniversary of the route. Beginning Dec. 1, the move will increase capacity by 44% compared to December 2019 levels, making Sydney Airport the only airport in Australia offering a daily flight to Manila. The LCC currently serves Manila-Sydney four times per week using Airbus A330neo aircraft.
Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aéreas has resumed flights between Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo, responding to seasonal demand as the end of the year approaches. The carrier is operating 3X-weekly roundtrip flights between Rio de Janeiro Galeão International Airport and Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport. The frequency will initially include outbound flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with return flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The service will briefly reduce to two weekly flights between Sept. 18 and Oct. 26. However, from Oct. 28, GOL will expand the route to 4X-weekly flights.
Air New Zealand is set to resume its Auckland-Seoul route on Oct. 28, 2024, offering more than 130 flights through March 29, 2025. The service will operate three times per week using Boeing 787 aircraft, providing nearly 40,000 seats over the five-month period. “Korea continues to be an important market for us, so it's fantastic to return to Seoul from next month,” says Leanne Geraghty, Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer. “Seoul continues to be an important route for our cargo services, too. In the same period last year, we carried more than 2000 [metric tons] of cargo between the cities, with fresh produce like avocados, blueberries and lamb heading to Korea from New Zealand.”
Swiss is set to expand its Geneva-based route network this winter with the introduction of a new daily service to Berlin starting on Oct. 28. Additionally, the airline will increase flight frequencies between Geneva and several Scandinavian cities—Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo—to cater to the rising demand among Scandinavian winter sports enthusiasts traveling to Switzerland. Service is also being added to several outbound winter sun destinations: Athens, Greece; Malaga and Valencia, Spain; and Marrakech, Morocco.
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