Exciting New Airline Routes for March 2016 and Beyond

Each month, airlines around the world launch and announce dozens of new flight routes and service changes — and today, TPG Assistant Editor Matt Zuzolo shares just a few of the latest flights that will take to the skies this month or in the near future. Keep in mind that exact flight details (e.g., flight schedules, aircraft and more) could change based on travel dates.

NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN MARCH 2016

Dubai (DXB) – Auckland (AKL) on Emirates (launched March 1, 2016)

Details — Emirates launched the world's longest flight at the beginning of the month between its hub in Dubai and Auckland, New Zealand. The flight, operated by the airline's 777-200LR aircraft, takes about 17 hours to complete. Qatar also plans to launch a new flight to Auckland soon, which will be just a tad longer than Emirates' service.

Schedule (daily):

• EK448 Dubai (DXB) 10:05am Departure ⇒ Auckland (AKL) 11am (+1) Arrival
• EK449 Auckland (AKL) 9:30pm Departure ⇒ Dubai (DXB) 5:45am (+1) Arrival

Los Angeles (LAX) – Stockholm (ARN) on SAS (launched March 14, 2016)

Details — SAS launched a new nonstop route to the US this month. The flight is about 11 hours long and is in competition with Norwegian, as that carrier already has service between the two cities.

Schedule (daily):

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• SK940 Los Angeles (LAX) 2:15pm Departure ⇒ Stockholm (ARN) 10:00am (+1) Arrival
• SK939 Stockholm (ARN) 9:50am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 12:15pm Arrival

New domestic service on Southwest (launched March 2016)

Details — Southwest launched three new domestic routes this month:

• Pittsburgh (PIT) — St. Louis (STL)
• Washington Dulles (IAD) — Atlanta (ATL)
• Washington Reagan (DCA) — Omaha (OMA)

New domestic and international service on American Airlines (launched March 2016)

Details — American Airlines launched a variety of new flights in North America this month:

• Kansas City (MCI) — Cancun (CUN)
• Nashville (BNA) — Cancun (CUN)
• Pittsburgh (PIT) — Cancun (CUN)
• Raleigh-Durham (RDU) — Cancun (CUN)
• Chicago (ORD) — Albany (ALB)
• Dallas (DFW) — Mérida (MID)
• Phoenix (PHX) — Lubbock (LBB)
• Phoenix (PHX) — Memphis (MEM)
• Phoenix (PHX) — Midland (MAF)
• Phoenix (PHX) — Roswell (ROW)

New domestic and international service on Delta (launched March 2016)

Details — Delta also launched new routes around the US and to Latin America this month:

• Salt Lake City (SLC) — Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
• Atlanta (ATL) — Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI)
• Minneapolis (MSP) — Savannah (SAV)

Chicago (ORD) – Reykjavik (KEF) on Icelandair (launched March 16, 2016)

Details — Icelandair launched a new flight to the US this month with service between Chicago (ORD) and Iceland. You can also book a stopover of up to one week on flights headed to continental Europe.

Schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday):

• FI852 Chicago (ORD) 7:30pm Departure ⇒ Reykjavik (KEF) 6:35am (+1) Arrival
• FI853 Reykjavik (KEF) 4:45pm Departure ⇒ Chicago (ORD) 6:15pm Arrival

Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH) on Qatar Airways (launched March 16, 2016)

Details — Qatar Airways launched a new flight between Boston and Doha on the airline's new A350 aircraft.

Schedule (daily):

• QR744 Boston (BOS) 10:55pm Departure ⇒ Doha (DOH) 5:45pm (+1) Arrival
• QR743 Doha (DOH) 8:20am Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 2:30pm Arrival

NEW ROUTES ANNOUNCED IN MARCH 2016

New international service on Qatar Airways

Details — Qatar Airways announced a variety of new flights around the world earlier this month, including a flight with the goal of dethroning Emirates' current world's longest flight — all of these will originate in Doha (DOH):

Europe:

• Pisa, Italy
• Sarajevo, Bosnia
• Helsinki, Finland
• Skopje, Macedonia
• Nice, France

Africa:

• Marrakech, Morocco
• Windhoek, Namibia
• Seychelles
• Douala, Cameroon
• Libreville, Gabon
• Lusaka, Zambia

South Pacific and Southeast Asia:

• Auckland, New Zealand
• Krabi, Thailand
• Chiang Mai, Thailand

Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) on American (launching September 7, 2016)

Details — AA is joining Cathay Pacific with a nonstop flight between LA and Hong Kong this September. The flight will operate daily on the airline's flagship 777-300ER aircraft.

Schedule (daily):

• AA193 Los Angeles (LAX) 1:55am Departure ⇒ Hong Kong (HKG) 8:10am (+1) Arrival
• AA192 Hong Kong (HKG) 8:20pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 6:40pm Arrival

Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK) on Delta (launching December 16, 2016)

Details — Delta is also launching a new flight to Asia from LA. The airline will operate its 777-200ER to Beijing, which includes Delta One service.

Schedule:

• DL9 Los Angeles (LAX) 12:30pm Departure ⇒ Beijing (PEK) 5:45pm (+1) Arrival
• DL8 Beijing (PEK) 7:30pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 3:45pm Arrival

San Francisco (SFO) – Hangzhou, China (HGH) on United (launching July 13, 2016)

Details — United is joining American and Delta with new announcements for flights to Asia this month — the carrier will be launching a flight to Hangzhou, located in Eastern China, on its 787-9 Dreamliner this summer.

Schedule:

• UA982 San Francisco (SFO) 2:15pm Departure ⇒ Hangzhou (HGH) 6:10pm (+1) Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday)
• UA983 Hangzhou (HGH) 11:30am Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 8:25am Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

New Emirates service to Southeast Asia (launching August 3, 2016)

Details — Emirates will launch two flights to service Yangon, Myanmar (RGN) and Hanoi, Vietnam (HAN) this summer on its 777-300ER. While Emirates is marketing the flight as new service to Yangon and Hanoi, the reality is that travelers heading to Hanoi will have a short connection in Yangon on both the outbound and return trips.

Schedule (daily):

• EK388 Dubai (DXB) 2:50am Departure ⇒ Yangon (RGN) 11:05am Arrival
• EK388 Yangon (RGN) 12:35pm Departure ⇒ Hanoi (HAN) 2:50pm Arrival
• EK389 Hanoi (HAN) 10:50pm Departure ⇒ Yangon (RGN) 12:20am (+1) Arrival
• EK389 Yangon (RGN) 1:50am Departure ⇒ Dubai (DXB) 5:05am Arrival

Which of these new routes are you most excited about?