Exciting New Airline Routes for March 2016 and Beyond

March 29, 2016

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7 min read

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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

Emirates launched a new flight to New Zealand.

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):

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

Southwest expanded its domestic network this month. — Southwest expanded its domestic network this month by adding three new routes. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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)

American added new flights to Cancun. — American just added new flights to Cancun.

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

Qatar added service to Boston. — Qatar Airways added service to Boston.

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

Qatar will launch service to a variety of international destinations in 2016. — Qatar Airways will launch service to a variety of international destinations in 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

AA will begin service to Hong Kong this September.

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

Fly Delta One to Beijing from LA. — You'll soon be able to fly Delta One to Beijing from LA.

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

United is expanding its Dreamliner service.

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)

Fly Emirates to Southeast Asia starting in August.

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):