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Exciting New Airline Routes for April 2016 and Beyond

April 26, 2016
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9 min read
Southwest featured
Exciting New Airline Routes for April 2016 and Beyond
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Each month, airlines around the world launch and announce dozens of new flight routes and service changes — and today, TPG Senior Editor Kaeli Conforti 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) may change based on travel dates.

NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN APRIL 2016

Doesn't a trip to Copenhagen sound amazing right about now?

Boston (BOS) – Copenhagen (CPH) on Scandinavian Airlines (launched March 29, 2016)

Details — At the end of March, SAS launched a new daily route between Boston and Copenhagen on its reconfigured 737-700, making it even easier to visit this colorful European city.

Schedule (daily):

  • SK928 Boston (BOS) 5:30pm Departure ⇒ Copenhagen (CPH) 7:00am (+1) Arrival
  • SK927 Copenhagen (CPH) 12:50pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 3:20pm Arrival
Norwegian Air is one of the cheapest ways to fly to Europe.

Boston (BOS) – London (LGW) on Norwegian (launched March 27, 2016)

Details — Bostonians are also getting a new flight to London-Gatwick on low-cost carrier Norwegian Air. The flight will operate four times per week from Boston on the airline's Dreamliner aircraft.

Schedule:

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  • DY7148 Boston (BOS) 9:20pm Departure ⇒ London (LGW) 8:40am (+1) Arrival (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • DY7147 London (LGW) 4:50pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 7:05pm Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
Southwest recently started flying from LA to Liberia, Costa Rica.

Los Angeles (LAX) – Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR) on Southwest (launched April 12, 2016)

Details — Southwest expanded its international service to Latin America this month with a new daily nonstop flight between Los Angeles and Liberia, Costa Rica.

Schedule (daily):

  • WN6920 Los Angeles (LAX) 2:40pm Departure ⇒ Liberia (LIR) 9:10pm Arrival
  • WN6918 Liberia (LIR) 9:15am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 2:15pm Arrival
Southwest added a ton of new domestic routes this month, including a flight from New York (EWR) to Las Vegas (LAS).

New Domestic Routes on Southwest (launched April 2016)

Details — Southwest expanded its network by adding new service to several cities around the US this month.

New Routes:

  • Atlanta (ATL) — Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)
  • Baltimore (BWI) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Chicago (MDW) — Dayton (DAY)
  • Chicago (MDW) — Flint (FNT)
  • Chicago (MDW) — Grand Rapids (GRR)
  • New York (EWR) — Las Vegas (LAS)
  • New York (EWR) — Orlando (MCO)
  • Phoenix (PHX) — Wichita (ICT)
  • St. Louis (STL) — Des Moines (DSM)
  • St. Louis (STL) — Wichita (ICT)
You can now fly from the US to Los Cabos, Mexico on Spirit Airlines.

New Domestic Routes on Spirit Airlines (launched April 2016)

Details — Spirit Airlines launched 14 domestic routes — and resumed 22 international flights — between March 24 and April 29, just in time for summer travel planning.

New Domestic Routes:

  • Atlanta (ATL) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — New Orleans (MSY)
  • Baltimore (BWI) — Boston (BOS)
  • Baltimore (BWI) — Detroit (DTW)
  • Boston (BOS) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Detroit (DTW)— Philadelphia (PHL)
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) — Philadelphia (PHL)
  • Las Vegas (LAS) — Seattle (SEA)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) — Seattle (SEA)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) — Portland (PDX)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) — Phoenix (PHX)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) — Philadelphia (PHL)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) — New Orleans (MSY)
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) — Philadelphia (PHL)

Resuming Summer Service:

  • Atlantic City (ACY) — Atlanta (ATL)
  • Atlantic City (ACY) — Boston (BOS)
  • Atlantic City (ACY) — Chicago (ORD)
  • Atlantic City (ACY) — Detroit (DTW)
  • Baltimore (BWI) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Boston (BOS) — Cleveland (CLE)
  • Boston (BOS) — Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
  • Boston (BOS) — Detroit (DTW)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Portland (PDX)
  • Charleston, WV (CRW) — Myrtle Beach (MYR)
  • Cleveland (CLE) — Myrtle Beach (MYR)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) — Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) — Myrtle Beach (MYR)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) — Portland (PDX)
  • Denver (DEN) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Detroit (DTW) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) — Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) — Kingston, Jamaica (KIN)
  • Houston (IAH) — Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD)
  • Houston (IAH) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
  • Myrtle Beach (MYR) — Plattsburgh, NY (PBG)
  • Orlando (MCO) — San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
Frontier Airlines started a bunch of new domestic routes this month.

New Domestic Routes on Frontier Airlines (launched April, 2016)

Details — Starting this month, you'll be able to fly the low-cost carrier to and from more US cities. Frontier's restored seasonal service from Atlanta (ATL) to Austin (AUS), Cleveland (CLE), Cincinnati (CVG), Los Angeles (LAX), Indianapolis (IND) and Trenton (TTN), along with flights between Chicago (ORD) and Austin (AUS), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington-Dulles (IAD), Raleigh-Durham (RDU) and Trenton (TTN).

This month also marks the beginning of new service from Cleveland (CLE) to Portland (PDX), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) and Philadelphia (PHL).

New Routes:

  • Atlanta (ATL) — Houston (IAH)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — Kansas City (MCI)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — Milwaukee (MKE)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — Phoenix (PHX)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — San Francisco (SFO)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — St. Louis (STL)
  • Atlanta (ATL) — Memphis (MEM)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Charlotte (CLT)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Kansas City (MCI)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Nashville (BNA)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Portland (PDX)
  • Chicago (ORD) — St. Augustine, Florida (UST)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Seattle (SEA)
  • Chicago (ORD) — Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)

NEW ROUTES ANNOUNCED IN APRIL 2016

Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

American Airlines Will Offer Service from New York (JFK) to Turks and Caicos (PLS)

Details — Starting November 5, American Airlines will offer weekly service from New York (JFK) to Providenciales (PLS), operating the route from New York on Saturdays with return trips from Turks and Caicos on Sundays.

Schedule:

  • AA1416 New York (JFK) 4:30pm Departure ⇒ Providenciales (PLS) 9:08pm Arrival
  • AA1443 Providenciales (PLS) 9:45am ⇒ New York (JFK) 12:16pm Arrival
You'll soon be able to fly the Dreamliner between Amsterdam and San Francisco.

KLM Will Add Dreamliner Service Between Amsterdam (AMS) and San Francisco (SFO)

Details — KLM will fly its 787 Dreamliner between Amsterdam (AMS) and San Francisco (SFO) starting May 4. The carrier will operate this service twice weekly on Wednesday and Sunday.

Schedule:

  • KL610 San Francisco (SFO) 4:45pm Departure ⇒ Amsterdam (AMS) 12:15pm (+1) Arrival
  • KL609 Amsterdam (AMS) 12:40pm ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 2:45 pm Arrival
Air Berlin plans to expand its service later this year.

Air Berlin Will Expand its Long-Haul Service This Winter

Details — The number of flights between Germany and the US is about to increase. Air Berlin will expand service from Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) to Miami (MIA) to four times per week, and will start daily service to New York City (JFK) this winter. The airline will also add a new Thursday flight to Chicago in the winter, for a total of five flights per week.

Air Berlin will also resume year-round flights between LA and Düsseldorf this winter — with flight AB7430 departing Düsseldorf at 9:45am five times per week. Additionally, starting November 2, 2016, the carrier will fly between Düsseldorf and Cancun three times a week, and it will offer winter service to other destinations in the Caribbean, including Curaçao, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata as well as Havana and Varadero in Cuba.

TPG is a huge fan of JetBlue Mint, now expanding its product throughout the Caribbean and around the US.

JetBlue Expands its Mint Product in the US and Caribbean

Details — Earlier this month JetBlue announced that it will be expanding its popular Mint service, with new flights between Boston (BOS) and Los Angeles (LAX) starting October 20, operating once per day until November 17 when it will operate three times daily.

The carrier will also offer seasonal Mint service to the Caribbean beginning November 5, 2016. Service is mainly on Saturdays, then daily around the Christmas and New Year holidays — from Boston (BOS) to Aruba (AUA) and New York (JFK) to St. Maarten and St. Lucia.

New Routes:

  • B6287 Boston (BOS) 7:00am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 10:34am Arrival
  • B6487 Boston (BOS) 4:55pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 8:31pm Arrival
  • B6687 Boston (BOS) 8:55pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 12:25am (+1) Arrival
  • B6687 Boston (BOS) 9:15pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 12:45am (+1) Arrival
  • B6288 Los Angeles (LAX) 7:25am Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 3:44pm Arrival
  • B6488 Los Angeles (LAX) 11:45am Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 8:04pm Arrival
  • B6688 Los Angeles (LAX) 9:49pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 6:08am (+1) Arrival

Seasonal Service:

  • B6673 Boston (BOS) 10:54am Departure ⇒ Aruba (AUA) 4:39pm Arrival
  • B6674 Aruba (AUA) 5:59pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 9:53pm Arrival
  • B6881 New York (JFK) 8:20am Departure ⇒ St. Lucia (UVF) 1:58pm Arrival
  • B6882 St. Lucia (UVF) 3:20pm Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 7:23pm Arrival
  • B6787 New York (JFK) 7:45am Departure ⇒ St. Maarten (SXM) 12:42pm Arrival
  • B6788 St. Maarten (SXM) 2:02pm Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 5:30pm Arrival
You'll soon be able to fly United's Boeing 787-9 from San Francisco to Hangzhou, China. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

United Will Start Service From San Francisco (SFO) to Hangzhou (HGH) This July

Details — Starting July 13, United Airlines will begin flying three times a week between San Francisco (SFO) and Hangzhou, China (HGH) on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft, before switching to its 787-8 aircraft starting October 31 for the winter travel season — the 787-9 will still be flown between January 3 and February 17, 2017.

Schedule:

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

Which of these new routes are you most excited about?

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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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  • Annual Fee is $325.
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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.