Exciting New Airline Routes for February 2016 and Beyond
Quick summary
Each month, airlines around the world launch and announce dozens of new flight routes and service changes — and today, TPG Assistant Editor Matt Zuzolo shares 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) could change based on travel dates.
NEW ROUTES LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY 2016
Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo-Haneda (HND) on American Airlines (launched February 11, 2016)
Details — American Airlines started a new flight between Los Angeles and Tokyo-Haneda this month. The airline will operate the new route with its Dreamliner.
Schedule (daily):
- AA27 Los Angeles (LAX) 6:00pm Departure ⇒ Tokyo (HND) 11:00pm (+1) Arrival
- AA26 Tokyo (HND) 1:30am Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 6:20pm Arrival
Washington D.C. (IAD) – Dubai (DXB) on Emirates A380 (launched February 1, 2016)
Details — Emirates began flying its A380 to Washington, D.C. this month. The flight was previously served by the 777, and will continue operating on the same schedule with the new plane.
Schedule (daily):
- EK232 Washington D.C. (IAD) 10:15am Departure ⇒ Dubai (DXB) 8:00am (+1) Arrival
- EK231 Dubai (DXB) 2:20am Departure ⇒ Washington D.C. (IAD) 8:15am Arrival
Los Angeles (LAX) – Sun Valley, Idaho (SUN) on Delta (launched February 13, 2016)
Details — Delta has launched a weekly flight between LA and ski town Sun Valley, Idaho, that will operate every Saturday now through the rest of the winter season on April 2. This route is also serviced by a daily flight on Alaska Airlines.
Schedule (weekly):
- DL4637 Los Angeles (LAX) 12:20pm Departure ⇒ Sun Valley (SUN) 3:29pm Arrival
- DL4692 Sun Valley (SUN) 4:21pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 5:25pm Arrival
Vancouver (YVR) – Cancun (CUN) on Air Canada Rouge (launched February 15, 2016)
Details — Air Canada launched a new weekly flight on Mondays between Vancouver and Cancun this month with its 767 aircraft. The airline already offers service to Cancun from Montreal and Toronto.
Schedule (weekly):
- AC1782 Vancouver (YVR) 7:35am Departure ⇒ Cancun (CUN) 4:25pm Arrival
- AC1783 Cancun (CUN) 5:50pm Departure ⇒ Vancouver (YVR) 9:25pm Arrival
New York (JFK) – Bermuda (BDA) on American Airlines (launched February 15, 2016)
Details — American Airlines added a second flight to Bermuda from JFK this month. The flight presently operates six days per week (every day except Tuesdays), however it will switch to daily service starting March 8.
Schedule (daily):
Outbound:
- AA1428 New York (JFK) 12pm Departure ⇒ Bermuda (BDA) 3:04pm Arrival
- AA1416 New York (JFK) 5:25pm Departure ⇒ Bermuda (BDA) 8:35pm Arrival
Return
- AA1443 Bermuda (BDA) 10:00am Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 11:29am Arrival
- AA1428 Bermuda (BDA) 3:59pm Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 5:29pm Arrival
NEW ROUTES ANNOUNCED IN FEBRUARY 2016
Dubai (DXB) – Auckland (AKL) on Emirates (launching March 1, 2016)
Details — In late January, Emirates made news with the announcement that it would be launching the world's longest flight between Dubai and Auckland in March. The new route will be operated on Emirates' three-cabin 777-200LR aircraft and will clock in at more than 17 hours.
Schedule (daily):
- EK448 Dubai (DXB) 10:05am Departure ⇒ Auckland (AKL) 11am (+1) Arrival
- EK449 Auckland (AKL) 9:30pm Departure ⇒ Dubai (DXB) 5:45am Arrival
San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN) on United Airlines (launching June 1, 2016)
Details — It's been a few years since US-based travelers could fly nonstop to Singapore, but soon one of United's newest flights will connect San Francisco and Singapore. The route will be operated on the airline's Dreamliner and will last more than 16 hours.
Schedule (daily):
- UA1 San Francisco (SFO) 11:25pm Departure ⇒ Singapore (SIN) 6:45am (+2) Arrival
- UA2 Singapore (SIN) 8:45am Departure ⇒ San Francisco (SFO) 9:15am Arrival
Los Angeles (LAX) – Santiago, Chile (SCL) on LAN (launching October 16, 2016)
Details — LAN will start operating a seasonal nonstop Dreamliner flight between Los Angeles and Santiago later this fall. At present, no airlines fly nonstop between the two cities, so this service will be the easiest way to travel between these destinations.
Schedule:
- Los Angeles (LAX) ⇒ Santiago (SCL): Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
- Santiago (SCL) ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX): Tuesday, Friday and Sunday
Los Angeles (LAX) – Hawaii on Virgin America (launching June 14, 2016)
Details — Virgin America will continue its expansion to Hawaii this year after launching routes from San Francisco in late-2015. Virgin America will fly from LAX to both Honolulu (HNL) and Maui (OGG) on its A320 aircraft.
Schedule (daily):
Los Angeles — Honolulu (HNL)
- VX57 Los Angeles (LAX) 10:35am Departure ⇒ Honolulu (HNL) 1:25pm Arrival
- VX60 Honolulu (HNL) 2:25pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 10:55pm Arrival
Los Angeles — Maui (OGG)
- VX121 Los Angeles (LAX) 9:35am Departure ⇒ Maui (OGG) 12:25pm Arrival
- VX122 Maui (OGG) 1:40pm Departure ⇒ Los Angeles (LAX) 9:55pm Arrival
Boston (BOS) – Salt Lake City (SLC) on JetBlue (launching May 12, 2016)
Details — JetBlue is launching a new flight between Boston and Salt Lake City this May. The airline will operate its A320 aircraft on this route.
Schedule (daily):
- B6647 Boston (BOS) 7:46pm Departure ⇒ Salt Lake City (SLC) 11:08pm Arrival
- B6648 Salt Lake City (SLC) 11:59pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 6:39am (+1) Arrival
Boston (BOS) and New York (JFK) – Lisbon (LIS) on TAP Portugal (launching summer 2016)
Details — TAP Portugal is launching two new flights to the US this June with service to Boston and a new flight to JFK in July. The Star Alliance airline already flies nonstop to Newark and Miami. TAP will operate its A330 aircraft on these routes.
Schedule (daily):
- TP218 Boston (BOS) 7:45pm Departure ⇒ Lisbon (LIS) 07:20am (+1) Arrival
- TP217 Lisbon (LIS) 2:25pm Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 5:00pm Arrival
Schedule (daily):
- TP208 New York (JFK) 11:30pm Departure ⇒ Lisbon (LIS) 11:30am (+1) Arrival
- TP217 Lisbon (LIS) 5:00pm Departure ⇒ New York (JFK) 8:00pm Arrival
Which of these new routes are you most excited about?