New yr, new routes.
Whereas most individuals are fascinated about their New 12 months’s resolutions, AvGeeks and airline trade fans have an inventory of their very own to look ahead to because the calendar flips from December to January.
That might be the bevy of recent airline routes introduced final yr, a lot of which launch in 2025. Within the U.S. alone, tons of of recent routes have been introduced in 2024 to various levels of fanfare. They included all the pieces from ho-hum expansions — suppose new flights from a hub to a small metropolis or seasonal routes to trip hotspots — to outright blockbusters.
TPG’s Aviation crew regarded again at these to see which of them we have been most enthusiastic about within the yr forward.
Our picks embody a few of these blockbusters, but in addition some that say as a lot about an evolving airline technique as the brand new route itself.
United Airways was a preferred choose from everybody on workers, and the way might it not be. The Chicago-based provider’s community planning crew has been aggresive the previous few years with a daring worldwide growth that includes splashy, unique additions. And 2024 was no exception, the place Greenland, Mongolia and Morocco have been solely among the highlights.
Nonetheless, loads of different new additions had us speaking. Our picks included a little bit of all the pieces from new service to massive markets (Tokyo) and small (Belleville, Illinois). It is a possible wager you may see a few of them nominated for the “sexiest new routes of the yr” — sure, that is a factor.
As for our checklist, the one standards have been new routes introduced in 2024 (no matter launch date) for flights inside or from the U.S. or on a U.S. airline. Learn on to see what we picked.
Ben Mutzabaugh, TPG’s managing editor for aviation
United Airways: Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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You will see this route greater than as soon as on this checklist, and for good cause: Mongolia is about as far-flung and unique a vacation spot as you may discover for a U.S. airline. United will not be flying it nonstop from the U.S. however relatively from Tokyo’s Narita Worldwide Airport (NRT), the place it is one in every of two American carriers with rights to fly to different locations within the area. Regardless, seeing United Boeing 737s flying into the Mongolian capital is well probably the most fascinating additions for a U.S. airline.
American Airways: Carlsbad, California, to Phoenix
When American’s American Eagle regional associates start flying from Carlsbad subsequent month, it will be the one main airline model working from McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) about 35 miles north of San Diego. This route drew my consideration not a lot for this explicit metropolis pair, however relatively for what’s been one in every of American’s extra fascinating community methods of late. It is more and more added smaller airports with little or no main airline service, permitting it to carve out area of interest markets with out direct competitors from its major rivals. Different latest comparable additions embody Utah’s Provo Municipal Airport (PVU), Cape Cod Gateway Airport (HYA) in Hyannis, Massachusetts, Ian Fleming Worldwide Airport (OCJ) in Ochos Rios, Jamaica, and — starting subsequent month — the little-used South Caicos Airport (XSC) within the Turks and Caicos. (Extra on that beneath.)
Allegiant: Gulf Shores, Alabama, to Belleville, Illinois
Uncommon airline routes have me ever since I used to be a child, and — on the floor — this one is as obscure as they arrive. Nevertheless it highlights the kind of area of interest market that Allegiant has cultivated this century: increasing to small airports with little or no industrial airline service simply outdoors bigger metros. Two of these once-sleepy airports — Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) close to Fort Myers, Florida, and the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) close to Phoenix — are actually among the many busiest in Allegiant’s community. For the Gulf Shores-Belleville route, which begins Might 23, Allegiant would be the solely provider flying from both airport. The leisure provider has long-served Belleville, the place the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) sits about 30 miles from downtown St. Louis. Gulf Shores is a brand new airport for Allegiant — or any airline, for that matter — and lies about15 miles from the Florida border alongside the more and more in style Gulf Coast shoreline.
Zach Griff, TPG’s senior aviation reporter
United Airways: Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
United’s community crew does not shrink back from experimenting with new routes, however this one may simply be the provider’s wildest one but. I, for one, actually did not have United saying service to Mongolia on my 2024 bingo card, however right here we’re. The airline is profiting from its historic fifth-freedom rights to function this service that operates as a part of persevering with service between Tokyo and Guam. Vacationers will be capable to join with only one cease from the U.S. to Mongolia, all aboard United metallic. — Zach Griff, TPG
Hawaiian Airline Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska
I additionally would not have thought Pualani — the character on the tail of Hawaiian Airways plane — can be discovered on a route from Seattle to Anchorage, no much less on a wide-body Airbus A330. However Alaska Airways introduced only a few weeks in the past that it will deploy a Hawaiian Airways Airbus A330 on this route subsequent summer season in the course of the peak journey window. The transfer comes as the 2 carriers start their community integration following the merger of Alaska and Hawaiian getting authorized. — Zach Griff, TPG
Delta Air Traces: New York to Sicily
Whereas Sicily has soared in recognition lately (thanks, partly, to White Lotus), traditionally there hasn’t been a nonstop flight from the U.S. to this Italian island. That’ll change subsequent summer season when each Delta and United add service to Sicily. Delta introduced its new route first; it will fly to Catania starting on Might 22. Just some weeks after Delta’s announcement, United additionally introduced that it will begin flying from Newark to Palermo (additionally in Sicily) starting on Might 21. — Zach Griff, TPG
Sean Cudahy, TPG’s aviation reporter
Emirates: Miami to Bogota, Colombia
Flying in one in every of Emirates’ ultra-swanky first-class seats to Dubai can value 1000’s of {dollars} money, or considerably reduce into your stash of factors. Nevertheless, a brand new, extra inexpensive approach to expertise the Center Japanese provider’s famend service that was introduced (and launched) in 2024. Identified within the trade as a “fifth freedom” route, Emirates’ service from Bogota to Miami is one which operates between two locations that do not contact an airline’s dwelling nation. Although the flight is technically a continuation of Emirates’ service between Dubai and Miami, Emirates is ready to promote tickets simply on the Miami-Bogota leg. Because of this route, TPG’s Eric Rosen was capable of redeem 60,000 Emirates Skywards miles for a first-class seat on one in every of its Boeing 777-300ER jets — not low cost, by any measure, however far lower than you’d pay (particularly factoring in taxes and costs) for a for much longer flight to Dubai. — Sean Cudahy, TPG
United Airways: Newark to Marrakech, Morocco
In October, I tagged alongside as United Airways launched nonstop winter seasonal service from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to Marrakech, Morocco — within the course of turning into the one U.S. airline immediately serving the nation. In some ways, this route — additionally introduced and launched in 2024 — served as a launching pad for a sequence of borderline-obscure new routes United is planning within the months to come back, from Senegal to Sicily and nonstop service to Greenland the provider plans to debut in 2025. Within the case of United’s Marrakech service, it is operated with United’s so-called “high-J” Boeing 767, that includes a whopping 46 lie-flat Polaris seats, and unlocks a vacation spot rated amongst TPG’s 29 finest locations to journey in 2025. — Sean Cudahy, TPG
American Airways: Miami to South Caicos within the Turks and Caicos
American did not make as massive a splash as, say, United, in saying the place it will fly in 2025; there is no signal of Greenland or Mongolia in its plans. However the Fort Value, Texas-based provider does have some new plans up its sleeves within the new yr. As an example, it can change into the one U.S. airline to fly nonstop to the island of South Caicos in February. American would be the solely main airline on the airport, which in any other case has solely small regional operaters flying throughout the Turks and Caicos. Chatting with TPG in October, American’s chief community planner touted the provider’s rising route map within the Caribbean and Latin America as a power, and an intentional technique. American, as an example, just lately launched nonstop service to Ocho Rios, Jamaica (close to a preferred Sandals resort) and can fly to Carlsbad, California (not removed from the Legoland California theme park), come February. “We have added quite a lot of new locations, area of interest sort locations,” mentioned Brian Znotins, American’s senior vice chairman of community and schedule planning. “If we will save individuals time, this fashion, that is one thing I am within the enterprise of doing.” — Sean Cudahy, TPG
Aer Lingus: Dublin to Nashville and Indianapolis
At first look, Aer Lingus saying nonstop service from its Dublin dwelling base to Nashville and Indianapolis would not come near qualifying for an inventory of essentially the most thrilling airline routes. However the Irish provider’s latest U.S. service is notable due to the plane flying the 2 routes — and what it means for air journey in 2025 and past. Aer Lingus will fly to Nashville and Indy with its new Airbus A321XLR, a narrow-body jet with significantly long-range. For Aer Lingus and lots of different airways, the jet ought to unlock new forms of intercontinental routes, permitting airways to fly to extra “off-the-beaten-path” worldwide locations … or, on this case, enabling new European routes for smaller U.S. cities. American hopes to just do that with its personal XLRs — that’s, after it replaces it four-cabin “A321T” with the brand new plane on premium transcontinental routes in 2025. — Sean Cudahy, TPG
David Slotnick, contributing editor for TPG’s Aviation crew
JetBlue: Boston to Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh, and Scotland extra broadly, is maybe my favourite place on the planet. I lived there for a yr for graduate faculty, and have been again many instances to go to pals, discover new locations and return to previous favourite websites. Edinburgh might have been barely off the radar after I first moved there, however that actually is not the case anymore, with the variety of worldwide guests climbing steadily, in accordance with information from the Scottish Tourism Observatory. I am at all times thrilled to see it simpler to get there from the U.S., and JetBlue’s newest seasonal European flight would be the just one connecting my present hometown to the Scottish capital with nonstop service. I am trying ahead to taking it when it begins subsequent spring and may’t watch for my first go to in just a few years! I am additionally thrilled to see American start its first-ever service to the town, launching from its Philadelphia hub across the identical time. I am hoping that one will assist broaden award availability to Edinburgh, too. — David Slotnick, TPG
United Airways: Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Truthfully, I am simply so interested in this one. It is an uncommon route for the airline, which serves a handful of Asia-Pacific locations from its Tokyo hub utilizing Boeing 737 narrowbodies which might be based mostly in Guam. However Ulaanbaatar is kind of an uncommon one. United has mentioned that the vacation spot presents a gateway to off-the-grid, stunning landscapes throughout the nation, and that there is a chance to win over passengers who beforehand linked to Ulaanbaatar by Beijing. It is reflective of United’s post-pandemic technique of increasing service to less-common worldwide locations, whether or not that be secondary cities in international locations which might be already in style, or locations which may not have occurred to Individuals to go to earlier than. The airline depends on a mixture of passengers who’re visiting pals and relations, together with pure leisure clients, a lot of whom the airline tries to entice by advertising and marketing locations themselves, relatively than the flights. That additionally helps appeal to potential clients to have interaction extra with the airline, both by becoming a member of its frequent flyer program or by signing up for a cobranded bank card. Up to now the technique appears to be working effectively, so it is going to be fascinating to see the way it performs out in Ulaanbaatar. — David Slotnick, TPG
Alaska Airways/Hawaiian Airways: Seattle to Tokyo
Alaska Airways introduced its first main long-haul flight since its merger with Hawaiian Airways was authorized, giving it new Airbus A330 widebody jets for the primary time. The route itself is not essentially that thrilling by itself, as there may be loads of service obtainable from the West Coast to Tokyo. As a substitute, this route — together with Seoul and others to come back — alerts Alaska’s intent to rework its Seattle hub into a worldwide gateway and compete immediately with partner-turned-rival Delta. Demand on the Tokyo route is robust, so it is a logical one for the mixed airways so as to add. Plus, it is fascinating (and thrilling) to see Alaska make its first massive play to plug Hawaiian’s plane into its Seattle hub. — David Slotnick, TPG
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