Exciting New Routes for August 2016 and Beyond
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 (e.g., flight schedules, aircraft and more) may change based on your travel dates.
NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2016
Dubai to Yangon and Hanoi on Emirates (launched August 3)
Details — Emirates recently launched two flights from Dubai to Southeast Asia: one to Yangon, Myanmar (RGN) and the other to Hanoi, Vietnam (HAN). The airline is operating both routes with its 777-300ER in a three-class configuration, and both routes will operate on a daily basis. Note that flights to Hanoi will require a short connection in Yangon.
Schedule (daily):
- EK388 Dubai (DXB) 3:30am Departure ⇒ Yangon (RGN) 11:40am Arrival
- EK388 Yangon (RGN) 1:00pm Departure ⇒ Hanoi (HAN) 3:30pm Arrival
- EK389 Hanoi (HAN) 10:50pm Departure ⇒ Yangon (RGN) 12:20am (+1) Arrival
- EK389 Yangon (RGN) 1:50am Departure ⇒ Dubai (DXB) 5:05am Arrival
Ahmedabad, India to London; Continuing to Newark on Air India (launched August 15)
Details — Air India just launched a new fifth freedom flight that will take passengers from Ahmedabad, India (AMD) to London (LHR) with the option to continue on to Newark (EWR) on the same plane (a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner).
Schedule (3x per week):
- AI171 Ahmedabad (AMD) 5:00am Departure ⇒ London (LHR) 10:15am Arrival, then London (LHR) 12:30pm Departure ⇒ Newark (EWR) 3:00pm Arrival
- AI172 Newark (EWR) 10:30pm Departure ⇒ London (LHR) 10:15am (+1) Arrival, then London (LHR) 12:30pm (+1) Departure ⇒ Ahmedabad (AMD) 2:00am (+2) Arrival
NEW ROUTES ANNOUNCED IN AUGUST 2016
Hainan Airlines to Fly from Beijing to Las Vegas
Details — Starting on December 2, 2016, Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines will offer thrice-weekly flights (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) between Beijing and Las Vegas. This will be the first nonstop option between mainland China and Sin City, and flights will be operated with the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Schedule:
- HU7970: Las Vegas (LAS) 12:30pm Departure ⇒ Beijing (PEK) 5:30pm (+1) Arrival
- HU7969: Beijing (PEK) 2:20pm Departure ⇒ Las Vegas (LAS) 10:30am Arrival
United Expanding Domestic Service with New Routes from EWR, ORD and SFO
Details — New Yorkers looking for a winter escape can fly United nonstop from EWR to Key West (EYW) starting on December 16, 2016, with seasonal daily service on an Embraer E170 running through May 4, 2017. From January 7, 2017 to April 29, 2017, the carrier will also offer Saturday-only service between Chicago (ORD) and EYW. These new routes will be the only nonstop options connecting their respective markets.
Schedule:
- UA3670 New York (EWR) 10:00am Departure ⇒ Key West (EYW) 1:36pm Arrival
- UA3671 Key West (EYW) 2:22pm Departure ⇒ New York (EWR) 5:41pm Arrival
- UA3672 Chicago (ORD) 10:40am Departure ⇒ Key West (EYW) 2:50pm Arrival
- UA3674 Key West (EYW) 3:25pm Departure ⇒ Chicago (ORD) 5:54pm Arrival
Starting next summer — June 8, 2017, to be exact — the airline will expand its domestic service from San Francisco International Airport by launching once-daily nonstop flights to both Cincinnati (CVG) and Detroit (DTW) aboard its A319 aircraft. The airline will be competing with Delta, which currently offers 5x weekly service from SFO to Cincinnati and multiple daily flights from SFO to Detroit.
Schedule:
- UA501 San Francisco (SFO) 10:40am Departure ⇒ Cincinnati (CVG) 6:10pm Arrival
- UA502 Cincinnati (CVG) 7:00pm Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 9:20pm Arrival
- UA471 San Francisco (SFO) 8:30am Departure ⇒ Detroit (DTW) 4:20pm Arrival
- UA472 Detroit (DTW) 5:30pm Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 7:50pm Arrival
Air Berlin Expanding Service to the US
Details — As early as this winter, Air Berlin will increase service from its German hubs to various US cities. Its Berlin-Miami route will move from seasonal to year-round, and in 2017 it will up the frequency of flights between the German capital and New York (as well as adding more flights between Dusseldorf and Boston and San Francisco).
As far as new routes go, the airline is launching service between Dusseldorf and Orlando, the latter of which will be the carrier's third destination in Florida. The airline will also offer nonstop service from Berlin to both Los Angeles (three times a week) and San Francisco (four times a week) starting in May 2017.
Schedule:
- AB7211 Miami (MIA) 3:50pm Departure ⇒ Berlin (TXL) 7:20am (+1) Arrival
- AB7210 Berlin (TXL) 9:20am Departure ⇒ Miami (MIA) 1:50pm Arrival
- AB7023 Los Angeles (LAX) 7:55 pm Departure ⇒ Berlin (TXL) 4:00pm (+1) Arrival
- AB7022 Berlin (TXL) 3:20pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 6:10pm Arrival
- AB7397 San Francisco (SFO) 1:35pm Departure ⇒ Berlin (TXL) 9:35am (+1) Arrival
- AB7396 Berlin (TXL) 9:20am Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 11:50am Arrival
Austrian to Begin Nonstop Service Between Vienna and Los Angeles in 2017
Details — It's a bit of a ways off, but Austrian Airlines has announced plans to launch nonstop flights between Vienna (VIE) and Los Angeles some time in 2017. Details are currently scarce, though the carrier will reportedly begin service in the summer, operating the flights six times a week on its 777 aircraft. Stay tuned for more details in the months to come!
JetBlue Adding Nonstop Service Between Fort Lauderdale and Aruba
Details — Starting January 4, 2017, JetBlue will offer daily nonstop flights between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida to Aruba (AUA). The carrier currently offers nonstop flights to Aruba from New York and Boston (and will soon re-start seasonal Mint service on these two existing routes).
Schedule:
- B61411 Fort Lauderdale (FLL) 11:22 am Departure ⇒ Aruba (AUA) 3:24pm Arrival
- B61412 Aruba (AUA) 4:20pm Departure ⇒ Fort Lauderdale (FLL) 6:25pm Arrival
Delta Launching New Nonstop Flights from Boston
Details — Earlier this month Delta announced plans to add nonstop service from Boston (BOS) to San Francisco and Nashville (starting June 8, 2017 and November 6, 2016, respectively). It will also launch nonstop Saturday service to Montego Bay, Jamaica and Punta Canta, Dominican Republic (both on December 17, 2016); and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (starting February 18, 2017).
Schedule:
- DL3431 Boston (BOS) 11:15am Departure ⇒ Nashville (BNA) 1:25pm Arrival
- DL3431 Nashville (BNA) 7:00am Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 10:40am Arrival
- DL387 San Francisco (SFO) 9:30pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 6:18am (+1) Arrival
- DL1893 San Francisco (SFO) 11:45am ⇒ Boston (BOS) 8:31pm Arrival
- DL387 Boston (BOS) 5:00pm Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 8:45am Arrival
- DL1893 Boston (BOS) 7:15am Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 10:56am Arrival
- DL1684 Montego Bay (MBJ) 3:45pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 7:54pm Arrival
- DL1709 Boston (BOS) 10:25am Departure ⇒ Montego Bay (MBJ) 2:45pm Arrival
- DL950 Boston (BOS) 7:00am Departure ⇒ Punta Cana (PUJ) 12:00pm Arrival
- DL946 Punta Cana (PUJ) 1:00pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 4:03pm Arrival
- DL613 Boston (BOS) 10:30am Departure ⇒ St. Thomas (STT) 3:25pm Arrival
- DL794 St. Thomas (STT) 4:25pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 7:30pm Arrival
Lucky Air Expanding to International Service with Flights to Los Angeles and Moscow
Details — Chinese carrier Lucky Air is best known for operating short-haul flights within its home country, but it's planning to launch twice-weekly nonstop service from its hub in Kunming to both Los Angeles and Moscow. The airline plans to operate these new routes with Boeing 787 aircraft. (It doesn't own any of these currently, though its parent company Hainan Airlines does.) The new flights are awaiting government approval and schedule details are pending as well.
Xiamen Air Launching Flights Between Fuzhou and New York-JFK
Details — Another Chinese carrier is expanding its service between the mainland and the US, as Xiamen Air will reportedly begin 3x weekly flights between Fuzhou (FOC) and New York (JFK) in February, 2017. The airline will offer service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays with its three-cabin Boeing 787 aircraft. Xiamen Air will also be launching service between Shenzhen and Seattle starting September 26, 2016.
Schedule:
- MF850 New York (JFK) 12:55pm Departure ⇒ Fuzhou (FOC) 5:00pm (+1) Arrival
- MF849 Fuzhou (FOC) 9:15am Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 10:55am Arrival
Air India Moving to Daily Flights Between Delhi and San Francisco
Details — Air India launched 3x weekly service between Delhi and San Francisco back in late 2015, and it appears this route has been a big success. The airline will make the move to daily service starting in winter 2016, more than doubling its capacity on this route. Air India operates these flights with its three-class Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. While it's not exactly a new route, it is a significant step up in frequency for a fairly new flight.
Schedule:
- AI174 San Francisco (SFO) 11:30am Departure ⇒ Delhi (DEL) 3:55pm (+1) Arrival
- AI173 Delhi (DEL) 2:30am Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 7:00am Arrival
Which of these routes are you most excited about?
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