The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
June 13
JetBlue Airways has launched its first-ever service to Honduras, introducing daily nonstop flights between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and San Pedro Sula. The new route marks JetBlue’s debut in the country and further strengthens its growing footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean, which now accounts for more than one-third of the airline’s total capacity. Flights on the new route will be daily using Airbus A320 aircraft.
Virgin Australia has commenced flights to Doha for the first time, marking an expansion of its international footprint through a strategic partnership with Qatar Airways, which agreed to buy a 25% stake in the Australian carrier last September. Daily service from Sydney commenced on June 12, with flights from Brisbane starting on June 19 and Perth on June 26. The routes will use Boeing 777-300ERs wet-leased from Qatar Airways. “Through our partnership with Qatar Airways, we're not just launching a new route—we're opening the world to millions of Australians, delivering more choice, better value and a seamless global experience,” Virgin Australia CEO Dave Emerson says.
Smartwings will expand its operations from Prague this winter, launching five new year-round routes and increasing frequencies on two existing services. Beginning Oct. 23, the airline will start flights to Barcelona (4X-weekly), Porto (2X-weekly) and Rome (4X-weekly), followed by Brussels (12X-weekly) and Bucharest (7X-weekly) from Oct. 26. Flights to Paris will increase to three per day from Oct. 27, while Málaga will rise to 12 per week from Oct. 23.
SkyTeam alliance members Vietnam Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have announced a new codeshare partnership aimed at strengthening air connectivity between Vietnam and Scandinavia. The move comes as Vietnam Airlines prepares to launch a new route between Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Copenhagen Airport, operating three flights per week from Dec. 15 using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. “This agreement is a testament to the value of the SkyTeam alliance in delivering global connectivity and shared benefits for frequent flyers,” SAS CCO Paul Verhagen says.
Saudia has launched its first scheduled flights from Riyadh to Vienna, expanding the airline’s European network. The new route, operated in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Program, builds on the airline’s previous seasonal flights from Jeddah. Flights operate four times per week—on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday—departing Riyadh as SV153 and returning from Vienna as SV152.
LATAM Airlines will become the first carrier to offer daily nonstop flights between Melbourne and South America, expanding its Santiago service to 7X-weekly frequencies from December 2025. The seasonal upgrade will operate during the northern winter using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The move adds 1,800 weekly seats.
June 12
WestJet and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have entered into an interline partnership aimed at boosting connectivity between Canada and Scandinavia. The agreement enables single-ticket itineraries across both networks. SAS operates nonstop service between Copenhagen and Toronto Pearson, with WestJet passengers now able to access 29 Scandinavian cities. In turn, SAS customers gain access to WestJet’s domestic network, including Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa. A full codeshare is expected later this year.
Air Arabia will double its service between Sharjah and the Maldives starting Oct. 27, with 2X-daily nonstop flights to Malé. The expansion comes a year after the LCC first launched the route. All flights will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft. “We are glad to further strengthen our presence in the Maldives with this increased frequency,” says Adel Al Ali, group CEO of Air Arabia. “The step to double our flights reflects the growing demand for air travel to this popular destination.”
Canada’s Porter Airlines has expanded its domestic network with the launch of nonstop service from Hamilton to Calgary and Edmonton. The new routes will both be operated using 32-seat Embraer 195-E2 aircraft. “These new nonstop routes greatly enhance travel convenience for passengers to and from Hamilton and Southern Ontario, opening the door to greater commerce and tourism opportunities,” says Ed Ratuski, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport executive managing director.
Lufthansa Group will expand its partnership with ITA Airways to include long-haul codeshare flights starting July 1, marking a key step in ITA’s integration. Passengers will be able to book single itineraries combining Lufthansa Group airlines—Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines—with ITA’s long-haul services via Rome. New connections include flights from Frankfurt and Munich to Bangkok, Jeddah and Riyadh; Brussels to Cairo; and Vienna to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Etihad Airways is boosting service to Karachi with four daily flights starting Oct. 1, offering 28 nonstop weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Pakistan’s largest city. The increase brings Etihad’s total weekly flights to Pakistan to 60, with service to Peshawar scheduled to launch on Sept. 29.
June 11
EasyJet has announced 11 new routes from Newcastle Airport, England, for summer 2026, following confirmation it will open a new three-aircraft base at the airport next spring. The expanded network includes new connections to Antalya, Corfu, Dalaman, Enfidha, Faro, Malta, Nice, Prague, Reus, Rhodes and Sharm el Sheikh. The LCC already operates eight domestic and international routes from Newcastle, including services to Alicante, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris. With the addition of the base, easyJet will more than double its network from the airport.
Air New Zealand has become the first international airline to commit to Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), announcing plans to operate direct flights from Auckland starting mid-2027. The route is the first secured through the region’s A$16 million ($10 million) Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund, designed to attract global carriers ahead of the airport’s opening in late 2026. The new trans-Tasman service will complement Air New Zealand’s existing operations at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.
IndiGo has confirmed it will launch flights from Mumbai to three Central Asian capitals—Almaty, Tashkent and Tbilisi—starting in July 2025. Service to Almaty begins July 1 with 4X-weekly flights, followed by Tashkent from Aug. 1 (4X- weekly) and Tbilisi from Aug. 2 (3X-weekly). The airline currently operates more than 1,300 weekly departures from Mumbai to over 75 destinations.
Air Astana has expanded its China network with the launch of direct flights between Almaty and Guangzhou, marking its fifth route between Kazakhstan and China. The airline now operates 23X-weekly flights to China, including services to Beijing, Guangzhou, Hainan and Urumqi. “China has always been an important strategic market for Air Astana,” Air Astan CEO Peter Foster says. “The launch of the Guangzhou service marks a significant step in expanding our Chinese route network in line with our long-term growth objectives.” The new route will be operated using Airbus A321LR aircraft.
Air Serbia has launched a new route between Belgrade and Alghero, marking its 10th destination in Italy. Service to the Sardinian city will be twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays during the summer season. The addition strengthens the airline’s growing presence in the Italian market, joining existing routes to Bari, Bologna, Catania, Florence, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Rome and Venice.
Porter Airlines has inaugurated two new seasonal routes connecting Toronto Pearson International Airport to Deer Lake, Newfoundland, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The nonstop service to Deer Lake will be offered three times per week, while Charlottetown flights start June 13 with 4X-weekly roundtrips, increasing to daily service from June 26. Both routes will conclude in mid-September. Flights are operated with Porter’s 132-seat Embraer 195-E2 aircraft.
June 10
Etihad Airways and Ethiopian Airlines have launched a codeshare agreement, expanding connectivity between Africa and destinations in Asia, Australia and the Middle East. The move comes as Ethiopian Airlines plans to begin service from Addis Ababa to Abu Dhabi on July 15, with Etihad set to launch daily flights to Addis Ababa on Oct. 8. Etihad passengers will gain access to 55 destinations across Africa via Ethiopian’s network, while Ethiopian travelers can connect through Abu Dhabi to 20 destinations across Etihad’s network.
Guernsey-based Aurigny and British Airways have expanded their interline agreement to include London City Airport. The move adds to existing connections through London Gatwick, enabling bookings to more than 100 international destinations on a single itinerary. “This enhanced partnership with British Airways is a game-changer for trade partners,” Aurigny CCO Sudeep Ghai says. “It opens up Guernsey to the world.”
Centrum Air will launch several new domestic routes in Uzbekistan starting later this month. Beginning June 24, the airline will operate flights on the Samarkand–Urgench route three times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. A day later, on June 25, flights between Bukhara and Urgench will commence, operating 2X-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The same day will also see the launch of services on the Samarkand–Bukhara and Bukhara–Tashkent routes, both flying 2X-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
TAAG Angola Airlines and Turkish Airlines have renewed their interline and special prorate agreement. The two carriers have also held talks exploring potential future collaboration, including a possible codeshare, cargo cooperation and technical assistance in maintenance and flight operations. Additionally, Turkish Airlines is adding frequencies from the UK and Ireland to Istanbul. The carrier will operate 47X-weekly flights from London Heathrow—up by two—while London Gatwick increases from 26 to 28X-weekly services. Manchester–Istanbul flights will rise from 25 to 28 per week, offering four daily departures. Edinburgh will see 14X-weekly flights, up from 10, and Birmingham’s schedule will increase from 14 to 18 flights. In Ireland, Dublin’s service will also expand to 21X-weekly flights.
June 9
Indian LCC Akasa Air has signed a partnership with Adani Airport Holdings to begin commercial flights from the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. The move comes less than two weeks after IndiGo announced plans to be the launch operator at the airport. Akasa aims to start with more than 100 weekly domestic departures from Navi Mumbai, scaling up to over 300 domestic and 50 international weekly departures by the winter 2025-26 schedule. “Enhanced connectivity from Navi Mumbai will not only strengthen our network in the western region, but also help fuel India's economic engine by improving connectivity, stimulating regional development and ensuring that the benefits of aviation-led growth reach every corner of the country,” says Akasa founder and CEO Vinay Dube.
EVA Air is launching a codeshare partnership with Star Alliance member LOT Polish Airlines starting June 9. The agreement covers EVA-operated flights between Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport and both Tokyo Narita and Vienna, as well as LOT-operated service between Warsaw and Vienna. Although Taiwan and Poland do not yet have nonstop flights, a bilateral air services agreement was signed in 2015. This codeshare marks the first such cooperation between the two carriers. Meanwhile, LOT will also launch flights between Warsaw and Rovaniemi, Finland, on Nov. 27, operating twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays through Feb. 1, 2026. The new winter route offers travelers a gateway to Finnish Lapland.
Iberia has resumed summer flights to Ponta Delgada in the Azores and Tirana, Albania. The Spanish carrier will operate 3X-weekly flights between Madrid and Ponta Delgada—on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays—through September, providing more than 19,000 seats. Flights to Tirana will also run up to three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The two routes join Iberia’s broader summer network, which includes Dubrovnik, Croatia; Mykonos, Greece; and Catania, Italy.
Spirit Airlines has launched new nonstop service from Columbia Metropolitan Airport, marking its third destination in South Carolina. The ULCC now offers direct flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, which will be served three times per week, and to Newark, which will receive four roundtrips per week. “Increasing air service to a community can be a long process, as our airport, like many others across the nation, [is] competing for the same service,” says Kim Crafton, vice president of marketing and air service development at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. “I'm thankful our team was able to secure Spirit Airlines and I'm thankful Spirit Airlines sees a great opportunity for a successful partnership for the airport and the Midlands region.”
Related Content
