Exciting New Airline Routes for January 2018 and Beyond

Airlines around the world launch and announce dozens of new flight routes and service changes every month. Today, we’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.

NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2018

United's New Nonstop from Houston to Sydney (launched January 18)

Details — Move over Dallas-to-Sydney; as of January 18, there's a new longest flight from Texas in town. United's new nonstop 787-9 Dreamliner route from Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD) is just 18 minutes longer, putting your flight time at a whopping 17 hours and 30 minutes. Keep in mind that while you'll be losing a day of travel as you cross the international dateline, you'll gain it back on the return trip, which puts you back in the Lone Star State an hour and 20 minutes before you even took off in Sydney because #TimeTravel.

Schedule (daily):

• UA101 Houston (IAH) 8:00pm Departure → Sydney (SYD) 6:30am (+2) Arrival
• UA100 Sydney (SYD) 11:50am Departure → Houston (IAH) 10:30am Arrival

Fly an A321neo from Boston to the Azores (launched January 12)

Details — This one isn't so much a new route as an exciting new development in terms of the aircraft Azores Airlines is now flying — in this case, a shiny new A321neo instead of the ancient A310s it had been using to bring folks between Boston (BOS) and Ponta Delgada (PDL). You can try out the new bird on hops between the two cities four times per week until March 25, when flights increase to six times per week.

Schedule (4x per week until March 25, then 6x per week):

• S4220 Boston (BOS) 9:15pm Departure → Ponta Delgada (PDL) 6:00am (+1) Arrival
• S4221 Ponta Delgada (PDL) 3:30pm Departure → Boston (BOS) 5:20pm Arrival
• S4281 Ponta Delgada (PDL) 5:15pm Departure → Boston (BOS) 7:05pm Arrival

New Southwest Service Between Tampa and San Diego (launched January 8)

Details — As Tampa International Airport (TPA) continues its expansion, it seems Southwest is as well, adding a new nonstop flight between the popular Sunshine State city and San Diego (SAN) this month aboard a combination of its 737-700s and 737-800s. The move gives beach enthusiasts in Florida and California an easy way to swap sand for a few days.

Schedule (daily):

• WN799 Tampa (TPA) 9:40am Departure → San Diego (SAN) 11:55am Arrival
• WN478 San Diego (SAN) 12:45pm Departure → Tampa (TPA) 8:05pm Arrival

JetBlue Begins Service Between Syracuse and Boston (launched January 4)

Details — Great news for those based in upstate New York: You'll now be able to easily get from Syracuse (SYR) to Boston (BOS) thanks to a nonstop flight from JetBlue that launched earlier this month. The 80-minute hop is being operated by the carrier's Embraer RJ-190.

Schedule (daily):

• B6840 Syracuse (SYR) 5:40am Departure → Boston (BOS) 7:00am Arrival
• B6845 Boston (BOS) 10:15pm Departure → Syracuse (SYR) 11:42pm Arrival

NEW ROUTES ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY 2018

Emirates Will Soon Fly Nonstop Between Newark and Dubai

Details — Exciting news for those in the NYC area who wish to visit the UAE. As of June 1, Emirates will be flying its 777-300ER — although, sadly, not the version featuring the new first-class suite — nonstop on a new daily flight between Newark (EWR) and Dubai (DXB). You can also catch the carrier's daily nonstop to Athens (ATH) from EWR, a fifth-freedom route that eventually takes you to DXB as well. To compensate for the new Newark option, Emirates is cutting down on its service from JFK, reducing its current offerings to just two daily nonstop options as of March 25. Also note that the airline's fifth-freedom route from JFK to Milan (MXP) and Dubai will remain operational.

Schedule (daily, starting June 1, 2018):

• EK224 Newark (EWR) 11:50am Departure → Dubai (DXB) 8:20am (+1) Arrival
• EK223 Dubai (DXB) 3:00am Departure → Newark (EWR) 9:00am Arrival

New Routes on Icelandair to Reykjavik From Three US Cities

Details — With the amount of new routes to Reykjavik (KEF) starting up this year from San Francisco (SFO), Baltimore (BWI) and Kansas City (MCI), it's getting harder to find reasons not to visit Iceland this year. The SFO route will be operated by a 767-300ER, while the BWI and MCI routes will be serviced by the airline's 757-200. Assistant Editor Brendan Dorsey flew in economy on Icelandair's 767-300ER last year, which also features an economy comfort section as well as business class — or what the carrier calls Saga — with reclining seats. Note that while these flight times don't yet appear on Google Flights, you can still find them by searching directly through Icelandair's website.

San Francisco (SFO) to Reykjavik (KEF), starting June 1:

4x per week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday:

• FI862 San Francisco (SFO) 3:15pm Departure → Reykjavik (KEF) 6:40am (+1) Arrival

4x per week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday:

• FI863 Reykjavik (KEF) 5:00pm Departure → San Francisco (SFO) 6:55pm Arrival

Baltimore (BWI) to Reykjavik (KEF), starting May 28:

4x per week on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday:

• FI642 Baltimore (BWI) 8:35pm Departure → Reykjavik (KEF) 6:20am (+1) Arrival
• FL643 Reykjavik (KEF) 3:05pm Departure → Baltimore (BWI) 7:25pm Arrival

Kansas City (MCI) to Reykjavik (KEF), from May 25 to September 2018:

Seasonal service 3x per week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday:

• FI840 Kansas City (MCI) 5:15pm Departure → Reykjavik (KEF) 5:10am (+1) Arrival
• FI841 Reykjavik (KEF) 6:00pm Departure → Kansas City (MCI) 8:45pm Arrival

Hawaiian Airlines to Start Flying Between Long Beach and Honolulu

Details — Break out those Aloha shirts and bathing suits. For those based on the West Coast, that Hawaiian vacation you've been dreaming about just got a little bit closer thanks to a new route from Long Beach, California (LGB) beginning May 31. The roughly six-hour flight will be operated by the carrier's A321neo, which you can also fly from Oakland (OAK) and Portland (PDX) to Kahului, Maui (OGG). Hawaiian Airlines will also begin flying the aircraft between OAK and Kauai (LIH) as of April 11, as well as Los Angeles (LAX) to Kona (KOA) on Hawaii's Big Island later this year.

Schedule (daily, starting May 31, 2018):

• HA69 Long Beach (LGB) 8:30am Departure → Honolulu (HNL) 11:40am Arrival
• HA70 Honolulu (HNL) 12:30pm Departure → Long Beach (LGB) 9:00pm Arrival

American Airlines Adds Shuttle Service Between New York and Chicago

Details — Earlier this month, American Airlines continued its ongoing expansion by announcing new shuttle service from everybody's favorite NYC airport, LaGuardia (LGA) — note the sarcasm — designed to help business travelers who regularly fly between the Big Apple and Chicago (ORD). As of April 4, you'll have 15 flights to choose from per weekday. The best part: Main cabin passengers will receive complimentary snacks, wine and beer, while those seated in first class will receive free snack baskets, beer, wine and spirits. Newspapers and magazines will also be available in the boarding lounge free of charge.

Kenya Airways to Introduce Nonstop Flights to Nairobi This Fall

Details — If an epic African safari or a memorable stay at Giraffe Manor has been on your bucket list, now's the time to start planning your big adventure, with a daily nonstop flight on Kenya Airways from New York (JFK) to Nairobi, Kenya (NBO), set to launch October 30.

Schedule (daily, starting October 30, 2018):

• KQ3 New York (JFK) 12:25pm Departure → Nairobi (NBO) 9:55am (+1) Arrival
• KQ2 Nairobi (NBO) 11:25pm Departure → New York (JFK) 6:25am (+1) Arrival

Low-Cost Carrier Gol Announces Flights Between Brazil and Florida

Details — Between the recent news that US passport holders can now apply for a $40 E-Visa to enter Brazil and the fact that low-cost carrier GOL is launching flights from Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO) to two Brazilian cities — Brasília (BSB) and Fortaleza (FOR) — starting November 4, an epic trip to this intriguing South American country just became more affordable than ever. Not only that, you'll have the chance to travel on the world's longest 737 flight since the Orlando to Brasília route clocks in at a whopping 3,778 miles.

Schedule (daily, starting November 4, 2018):

• G37600 Brasília (BSB) 9:50AM Departure → Orlando (MCO) 2:50PM Arrival
• G37601 Orlando (MCO) 9:30PM Departure → Brasília (BSB) 8:20AM (+1) Arrival

• G37664 Fortaleza (FOR) 8:35AM Departure → Orlando (MCO) 2:25PM Arrival
• G37665 Orlando (MCO) 9:45PM Departure → Fortaleza (FOR) 7:15AM (+1) Arrival

• G37748 Brasília (BSB) 9:50AM Departure → Miami (MIA) 2:25PM Arrival
• G37749 Miami (MIA) 9:45PM Departure → Brasília (BSB) 8:20AM (+1) Arrival

• G37732 Fortaleza (FOR) 8:35AM Departure → Miami (MIA) 2:05PM Arrival
• G37733 Miami (MIA) 10:00PM Departure → Fortaleza (FOR) 7:15AM (+1) Arrival

United To Add Nonstop Flights From Newark to Rapid City This Summer

Details — If you're looking for a fantastic place to do a summer road trip this year, a new nonstop flight from the New York City area (EWR) to Rapid City (RAP), South Dakota, will put you right in the middle of all the action. From RAP, you'll be within an hour's drive of Badlands National Park, 30 minutes from Mount Rushmore National Monument and 35 minutes from Custer State Park, where you can literally get caught in traffic because a herd of buffalo decides to cross the road. The new domestic route, one of many being introduced by United this month, will be operated on Saturdays by Embraer E175 aircraft starting June 23.

Schedule (Saturday only, starting June 23, 2018):

• UA3540 Newark (EWR) 10:00am Departure → Rapid City (RAP) 12:05pm Arrival
• UA3491 Rapid City (RAP) 12:45pm Departure → Newark (EWR) 6:47pm Arrival

Which of these new routes are you most excited about?

Additional reporting by Jeffrey Preis. Featured image of the Bondi Icebergs in Sydney, Australia, by @prozipix via Twenty20.