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AirAsia X says new California flights could begin as soon as 2021
Edward Russell
Contributor
Edward Russell is a contributor for TPG. An AvGeek at heart, he covered the airline business at FlightGlobal for eight years and previously covered finance in New York and Hong Kong.
Sept. 23, 2019
•
3 min read
AirAsia X says new California flights could begin as soon as 2021
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Malaysian low-cost giant AirAsia X continues to plan for new flights to California as it looks to build on its service to Hawaii.
The airline plans to serve California's Bay Area — either Oakland (OAK), San Francisco (SFO) or San Jose (SJC) airports — from Japan beginning in 2021, an AirAsia X official told TPG at the World Routes conference in Adelaide, Australia, on Monday.
They declined to specify which Japanese airport the new routes will originate from, except that it will not necessarily be Osaka Kansai (KIX) where the airline's current Honolulu (HNL) flights depart.
For California, AirAsia X would operate a higher-weight version of the Airbus A330-900 that is due in 2021, the representative said. The aircraft will be capable of flights of around 14 hours.
Related: AirAsia X A330 Premium Flatbed — Tokyo to Kuala Lumpur
The airline has expressed interest in serving the U.S. mainland for years, though it has yet to follow through. In 2012, AirAsia X rolled out one of its Airbus A340 jets painted in the colors of the Oakland Raiders NFL football team at a press event at Oakland International Airport. AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said the Oakland flights were being considered, though that never materialized.
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AirAsia X began flights to Honolulu several days a week in 2017, and expanded the route to daily service last fall, according to Diio by Cirium schedule data.
In 2018, Fernandes, one of the industry's more-colorful CEOs, affirmed plans to serve California but suggested Los Angeles — not a Bay Area airport — as the likely destination.
Now, the San Francisco Bay Area seems to be back at the top of AirAsia X's wish list. Flights to the region would make AirAsia X the first long-haul low-cost carrier to serve the U.S. mainland from Asia. While the segment has grown in fits and starts across the Atlantic, no Asia-Pacific LCC offers a U.S. flight beyond Hawaii.
Related: Two airlines announced Newark-Paris flights on the same day. It may not last
Honolulu is served by both AirAsia X and Australia's Jetstar Airways, Diio schedules show.
AirAsia X service to the Bay Area will likely be a win for bargain-seekers by placing pressure on fares in the market. Google Flights show round-trip fares as low as $876 between San Francisco and Tokyo this fall. By comparison, the LCC charges as little as $300 for one-way tickets in economy to Honolulu.
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL) and United Airlines are the only carriers flying between the Bay Area and Japan today. ANA serves San Francisco and San Jose from Tokyo Narita (NRT); JAL serves San Francisco from Tokyo Haneda (HND); and United serves Haneda, Narita and Osaka from San Francisco, according to Diio.
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Why We Chose It
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
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Cons
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- $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.