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Exciting New Airline Routes for April 2017 and Beyond

Julian Mark Kheel
Articles
Julian Mark Kheel is TPG's Director and Senior Industry Analyst of points & miles and the credit card industry.
April 25, 2017
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8 min read
Melbourne Australia featured
Exciting New Airline Routes for April 2017 and Beyond
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Airlines around the world launch and announce dozens of new flight routes and service changes every month. Today, I’ll share 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 (like schedules and aircraft, among other things) may change based on your travel dates.

NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN APRIL 2017

Old Town in Warsaw, Poland
LOT began nonstop service from Los Angeles to Warsaw, Poland. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

LOT Polish Airlines Begins Service Between Los Angeles (LAX) and Warsaw (WAW) (launched April 3)

Details — The flag carrier of Poland started its first nonstop route to the West Coast of the US on April 3 with service four times a week between Los Angeles (LAX) and Warsaw, Poland (WAW). It's the only airline operating directly between the two cities. LOT is using its Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft on the route.

Schedule (4x per week):

Mondays and Fridays:

  • LO24 Los Angeles (LAX) 9:40pm Departure ⇒ Warsaw (WAW) 6:00pm (+1) Arrival
  • LO23 Warsaw (WAW) 4:30pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 7:50pm Arrival

Tuesdays and Saturdays:

  • LO22 Los Angeles (LAX) 4:30pm Departure ⇒ Warsaw (WAW) 12:50pm (+1) Arrival
  • LO21 Warsaw (WAW) 11:20am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 2:40pm Arrival
Vienna, the colorful capital of Austria. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock,
Get from the West Coast to Vienna, the colorful capital of Austria. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Austrian Airlines Starts Flights From Los Angeles (LAX) to Vienna (VIE) (launched April 10)

Details — A second European carrier also began service to the City of Angels, as Austrian Airlines launched nonstop service five times a week between Los Angeles (LAX) and Vienna, Austria (VIE). It's the fourth new US destination added by the carrier in the last several years, and will operate during the summer travel season using 777-200 aircraft.

Schedule (5x weekly):

  • OS82 Los Angeles (LAX) 3:05pm Departure ⇒ Vienna (VIE) 12:05pm (+1) Arrival
  • OS81 Vienna (VIE) 10:00am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 1:30pm Arrival
Up we go to have a look at the plane!
Nonstop service between Los Angeles and Melbourne resumed on April 4.

Virgin Australia Resumes Nonstop Service Between Los Angeles (LAX) and Melbourne (MEL) (launched April 4)

Details — On April 4, Virgin Australia returned to a route it hasn't served since October 2014, adding flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Melbourne (MEL). Joint venture partner Delta will codeshare on these flights, with Boeing 777-300ERs operating on the route five times a week.

Schedule (5x weekly):

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  • VA24 Los Angeles (LAX) 8:55pm Departure ⇒ Melbourne (MEL) 5:45am (+2) Arrival
  • VA23 Melbourne (MEL) 11:30am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 9:00am Arrival
Reykjavik, Iceland. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Fly nonstop from warm-weather Florida to cold-weather Iceland. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Miami (MIA) - Reykjavik (KEF) on WOW (launched April 5)

Details — Low-cost carrier WOW commenced operations for its new flight between Miami (MIA) and Reykjavik/Keflavik (KEF) on April 5, marking the first time Miami has ever had nonstop service to Iceland. The carrier is flying an Airbus A330-300 on the new route three times weekly, and is also planning to begin flights to Chicago (ORD) starting July 13.

Schedule (3x per week):

  • WW132 Miami (MIA) 4:30pm Departure ⇒ Reykjavik (KEF) 4:10am (+1) Arrival
  • WW131 Reykjavik (KEF) 6:45pm Departure ⇒ Miami (MIA) 11:00pm Arrival
DALLAS - MARCH 12: Southwest Airlines planes take off from the airline's hub at Dallas Love Field Airport March 12, 2008, in Dallas, Texas. Southwest Airlines said it has grounded about 40 of its jets to inspect for possible damage after admitting they missed safety inspections. (Photo by Rick Gershon/Getty Images)
San Diego becomes Southwest's fourth international departure city in California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Southwest Expands in San Diego (SAN) With Flights to San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos (SJD) (launched April 25)

Details — Starting April 25, Southwest launched daily flights from San Diego (SAN) to Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD), making San Diego the fourth city in California to get nonstop international service from Southwest.

Schedule (daily):

  • WN1213 San Diego (SAN) 9:55am Departure ⇒ Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos (SJD) 1:10pm Arrival
  • WN1214 Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos (SJD) 2:05pm Departure ⇒ San Diego (SAN) 3:05pm Arrival

NEW ROUTES ANNOUNCED IN APRIL 2017

More long-haul flights are being added thanks to the Alaska-Virgin America merger.

Alaska Airlines Announces 3 New Long Haul Routes

Details — Alaska Airlines adds to its long-haul destinations with two new routes from Portland (PDX) to both Detroit (DTW) and New York (JFK), plus a third nonstop between Los Angeles (LAX) and Philadelphia (PHL). The new flights to Detroit and New York begin on August 30 and November 6 respectively, with Los Angeles-Philly launching under the Virgin America brand on September 1.

Schedule (daily):

  • AS732 Portland (PDX) 10:30pm Departure ⇒ Detroit (DTW) 5:30am (+1) Arrival
  • AS731 Detroit (DTW) 7:00am Departure ⇒ Portland (PDX) 8:45am Arrival
  • AS450 Portland (PDX) 11:05pm Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 7:30am (+1) Arrival
  • AS449 New York (JFK) 9:30am Departure ⇒ Portland (PDX) 12:55pm Arrival
  • VX1128 Los Angeles (LAX) 8:50pm Departure ⇒ Philadelphia (PHL) 5:00am (+1) Arrival
  • VX1129 Philadelphia (PHL) 6:30am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 9:25am Arrival
jetBlue airplanes on the tarmac at JFK (John F Kennedy) Airport in New York. (Photo by James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images)
Orlando will become the fourth US city with a JetBlue nonstop flight to Haiti. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

JetBlue to Add a Nonstop From Orlando (MCO) to Haiti

Details — Beginning in December and pending government approval, JetBlue will add service from its focus city in Orlando (MCO) to Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP). The carrier will use Embrarer 190 aircraft on the route to the Haitian capital, which is already served by JetBlue from three other US cities. Schedule information is not yet available.

San Juan, Puerto Rico Old City skyline.
Two more US cities will see nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Frontier Expanding Service to Puerto Rico from Orlando (MCO) and Philadelphia (PHL)

Details — Starting June 11, Frontier is adding additional daily flights from Orlando (MCO) and Philadelphia (PHL) to San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU). Both new routes will utilize Airbus A321 aircraft.

  • F91658 Orlando (MCO) 9:50pm Departure ⇒ San Juan (SJU) 12:41am (+1) Arrival
  • F9681 San Juan (SJU) 3:05am Departure ⇒ Orlando (MCO) 6:07am Arrival
  • F91040 Philadelphia (PHL) 9:15pm Departure ⇒ San Juan (SJU) 1:23am (+1) Arrival
  • F91041 San Juan (SJU) 2:25am Departure ⇒ Philadelphia (PHL) 6:43am Arrival
Brit
Fly cheaper to London on low-cost carrier Norwegian. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Norwegian Adding Service From the West Coast to London

Details — Norwegian continues its expansion in the United States with flights to London's Gatwick airport (LGW) from both Denver (DEN) and Seattle (SEA) starting in September. It will fly its 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the routes with 309 seats in economy and a 35-seat premium cabin.

Schedule (2x-4x a week)

Tuesdays and Saturdays (plus Thursdays starting November 2):

  • D87172 Denver (DEN) 2:40pm Departure ⇒ London (LGW) 6:40am (+1) Arrival
  • D87171 London (LGW) 9:40am Departure ⇒ Denver (DEN) 12:30pm Arrival

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays:

  • D87132 Seattle (SEA) 1:35pm Departure ⇒ London (LGW) 7:05am (+1) Arrival
  • D87131 London (LGW) 9:40am Departure ⇒ Seattle (SEA) 11:35pm Arrival
delta one 757 featured
Delta One lie-flat seats are being offered on two new transcontinental routes.

Delta Launching Two Transcontinental Nonstop Routes

Details — Beginning June 8, Delta Airlines will add transcontinental service with lie-flat Delta One seats between San Francisco (SFO) and Boston (BOS). The airline already began daily nonstop flights on April 24 between Los Angeles (LAX) and Reagan Airport in Washington DC (DCA) with premium Delta One cabins on 757-200 aircraft.

Schedule (daily):

  • DL1631 Los Angeles (LAX) 8:30am Departure ⇒ Washington DC (DCA) 4:55pm Arrival
  • DL1726 Washington DC (DCA) 5:45pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 8:30pm Arrival
  • DL2610 San Francisco (SFO) 11:19am Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 8:12pm Arrival
  • DL2488 Boston (BOS) 6:45am Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 10:29am Arrival
  • DL2818 San Francisco (SFO) 8:40pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 5:30am (+1) Arrival
  • DL2566 Boston (BOS) 4:00pm Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 7:44pm Arrival

Which of these new routes are you most excited about?

Featured image by Zach Honig