Fiji Airways announces big US expansion with a new longest route
Editor's Note
If Fiji is on your bucket list, there will soon be a new way to get there.
Fiji Airways announced Wednesday that it will commence a new nonstop flight from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Nadi International Airport (NAN) in Fiji. The carrier officially filed for permission to operate this new route with the U.S. Department of Transportation about a month ago.
The new three-times-weekly service will commence Dec. 10. Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Flights from Dallas will depart at 9:55 p.m. and arrive in Fiji at 5:20 a.m. two days later. The eastbound flight from Fiji takes off at 9:15 p.m. and arrives in Dallas at 3:20 p.m. on the same day.
The airline will deploy a 334-seat Airbus A350-900 jet to Dallas. Fiji’s A350 features a competitive business-class product arranged across nine rows in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration.
Each business-class traveler will enjoy direct aisle access, as well as 17-inch TV screens, power outlets and USB ports.
Fiji’s A350s also feature 301 economy seats, 39 of which offer extra legroom.
“Introducing a direct service between Fiji and Dallas is a really exciting milestone for Fiji Airways, as we continue to increase Fiji’s connectivity with the United States and beyond offering our guests more travel options," Fiji Airways CEO Andre Viljoen said in a statement.
Speaking of a really exciting milestone, the new Fiji Airways route will become the carrier’s longest flight yet. At 6,625 miles, the Dallas-to-Nadi route is 760 miles longer than the airline’s current longest to Vancouver, British Columbia. (Flights will take around 13 hours.) Furthermore, Dallas will become the airline’s fourth U.S. destination, joining Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Fiji’s expansion comes just a few weeks after the airline announced it would adopt the American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program as its own. Travelers will be able to earn and redeem AAdvantage miles from all Fiji flights and also enjoy reciprocal loyalty benefits for elite members. It’s also possible that American Airlines might debut reciprocal systemwide upgrade redemption on Fiji Airways flights.
In addition to the AAdvantage news, Fiji Airways recently received approval to become the newest member of the Oneworld airline alliance by 2025. American Airlines is a founding member of this alliance.
Map watching: The award for ‘sexiest new route’ of the year goes to ...
As Fiji’s flag carrier, Fiji Airways’ core mission is to boost tourism to the archipelago in the South Pacific. With the new DFW route, travelers can book hundreds of one-stop itineraries from points across the U.S. to Fiji, likely increasing the appeal of a trip to Fiji for many U.S.-based travelers. This is especially true for flyers based on the East Coast, who currently need to take a transcontinental flight to connect to a nonstop route from the U.S. to Fiji.
Moreover, Fiji Airways has historically also used its strategic location in the South Pacific to offer attractive fares for connections beyond Nadi to nearby destinations, including Australia and New Zealand. This new route might potentially lead to lower fares on key transpacific itineraries.
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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
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- 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.