The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Aug. 29
WestJet has signed a new interline agreement with Copa Airlines, expanding connectivity between Canada and 37 destinations across Latin America. The partnership comes ahead of WestJet’s launch of Calgary–Panama City flights on Dec. 13, operating 4X-weekly using Boeing 737-8 aircraft. Under the agreement, WestJet passengers can book single-ticket itineraries and through-check bags to cities such as Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Lima, Bogotá, Medellín and Quito. Copa passengers will gain access to WestJet’s North American network via Calgary. WestJet Executive Vice President and CCO John Weatherill says the agreement enhances access to Central and South America while supporting both leisure and business demand.
Thai AirAsia plans to launch daily Bangkok Don Mueang–Luang Prabang–Hanoi service from Dec. 1. Flights will operate daily using 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft. The service marks the first time the LCC has operated a stopover in Laos and the first time it has exercised fifth freedom rights outside of connections to Japan via Hong Kong and Taiwan. “We believe the route will be well received by international travelers seeking seamless connections between leading tourism destinations,” Thai AirAsia CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya says. “Both Hanoi and Luang Prabang are growing highlights in the region, and launching during the year-end peak season makes this timing even more ideal.”
Contour Airlines plans to open a new nonstop service linking Dominica with San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, marking its entry into the Caribbean market. Dominica–San Juan will operate four times per week from Sept. 25, while Dominica–St. Thomas will run three times per week from Sept. 27. Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and Tourism Minister Denise Charles-Pemberton welcomed the move, highlighting the airline’s role in boosting tourism, trade and regional ties.
Aug. 28
Canada’s Porter Airlines will begin nonstop service between Ottawa and Fort McMurray, Alberta, on Nov. 17. The year-round route will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using Embraer 195-E2 aircraft. The route expands Porter’s Ottawa hub to 26 destinations and marks its third destination in Alberta after Calgary and Edmonton. “As the latest addition to our network, Fort McMurray is gaining valuable new air service to support its position as a key economic centre and leisure travel destination for outdoor adventure,” says Porter Vice President for Network Planning and Reporting Andrew Pierce.
Delta Air Lines will restart daily flights between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and Tel Aviv on Sept. 1 using Airbus A330neo aircraft. The route was suspended in June 2025 following the outbreak of the Iran–Israel war, which prompted U.S. and European carriers to temporarily halt flights to Israel. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew,” a statement from Delta says. “Delta is continuously monitoring the evolving security environment and assessing our operations based on security guidance and intelligence reports.”
Swiss leisure carrier Chair Airlines will add six new international routes from Zurich in 2026 as it expands its Airbus A320 fleet to five aircraft and completes a cabin refurbishment program. From late June 2026, the airline will begin 2X-weekly services to Patras, Greece, and Vlora, Albania—both receiving their first nonstop links from Zurich. Chair will also launch 3X-weekly flights to Porto, Portugal, and, in September, a 2X-weekly service to Marrakech, Morocco. Tirana, Albania, will be connected three times weekly during the summer, while Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, will see 2X-weekly flights.
Vietjet will expand its services to Singapore from Vietnam later this year with added frequencies from both Phu Quoc and Da Nang. From Nov. 21, the Da Nang–Singapore route will increase to 2X-daily return flights, while Phu Quoc–Singapore will rise to daily service from Dec. 23. The expansion increases the LCC’s total Vietnam-Singapore schedule to 49X-weekly round trips across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Phu Quoc.
Eurowings will launch new service to Marrakech in its winter 2025-26 schedule, adding flights to the Moroccan city from Salzburg and Prague. From early November, Eurowings will operate 2X-weekly Salzburg–Marrakech flights. The airline is also set to open a 2X-weekly Prague–Marrakech route from November, using Airbus A320 aircraft, alongside a new weekly Prague–Beirut service.
Ryanair will expand its UK network this winter with five new routes from London. From November, London Luton will gain service to Wroclaw, Poland, while Stansted will see new flights to Lübeck and Münster in Germany, Murcia in Spain and Trapani in Italy. The Irish ULCC expects to carry 60 million passengers to and from the UK in 2025. However, CEO Michael O’Leary says growth could accelerate to 80 million over the next five years if the UK government abolishes Air Passenger Duty and delivers air traffic control reforms. Separately, Ryanair confirmed plans to launch a 2X-weekly Birmingham–Tirana route beginning April 1, 2026.
Aug. 27
Finnair will expand its southern European network in summer 2026 with new scheduled services to Catania, Florence, Valencia and the Greek island of Kos. Catania, Florence and Valencia will be new destinations for the carrier, while Kos has previously been operated as a charter. The seasonal routes will run from late March through late October. “Italy, Spain and Greece are particularly popular with our Finnish and Northern European customers during the summer months,” says Christine Rovelli, Finnair’s chief revenue officer. Finnair will operate 2X-weekly flights to Florence, Valencia and Kos, and 3X-weekly flights to Catania.
Aerolíneas Argentinas will expand its international network with new nonstop services from Tucumán and Salta to Florianópolis, Brazil. Starting Jan. 1, the carrier will operate two flights per week from each city to the Brazilian beach destination, with the seasonal schedule running through Easter. The new routes are designed to strengthen connectivity by offering passengers in Argentina’s interior more direct access to popular leisure markets without the need to connect through Buenos Aires.
Aug. 26
WestJet will launch seasonal nonstop flights between Calgary and Puerto Escondido, Mexico, beginning Dec. 12, adding the Oaxacan resort town to its network for the first time. The service will operate once a week through the winter season. With Puerto Escondido, WestJet will serve 15 Mexican destinations nonstop from Calgary this winter, its most extensive schedule to Mexico to date. The airline has already added Guadalajara, Tepic and Cozumel this year and extended Mexico City flights to year-round operation. Overall, WestJet’s sun capacity to Mexico will rise 8% compared with last winter. “We are confident that this new route from Calgary will be a great success, thanks to the strong demand this airport already has from the Canadian market,” says Javier Garcia Bejos, CEO of Aeropuertos Mexicanos.
United Airlines will resume seasonal flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Nuuk, Greenland, in summer 2026. Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, confirmed that the airline will again operate 2X-weekly Boeing 737-8 flights between the destinations. United first launched the Newark–Nuuk link on June 15, marking the first direct connection between the U.S. and Greenland in more than 15 years.
SunExpress, the joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, is boosting frequencies between Germany, Austria and Switzerland and several Turkish Riviera destinations. The carrier will offer 1.1 million seats in October alone on routes to Izmir, Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman, a 5% increase compared with October 2024. Frequency increases include Dresden–Antalya rising to 2X-daily from daily, Erfurt–Antalya up to 2X-daily from 3X-weekly and Geneva–Antalya moving to daily service from 4X-weekly. Several Dalaman routes from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Stuttgart will also see added flights. Much of the expanded schedule will run until mid-November.
Nigeria and Brazil have signed a new bilateral air services agreement. Nigeria’s aerospace development minister, Festus Keyamo, says the agreement would enable flights “on more liberal terms in order to promote trade, tourism, agriculture, education and commerce” between the two largest economies in Africa and South America. The announcement follows Nigerian president Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Brazil on Aug. 24–25. Nigerian carrier Air Peace has already received approval to launch direct flights to Brazil, while LATAM Cargo is also understood to be considering entering the market.
Aug. 25
India’s Akasa Air will add Kozhikode to its network from Oct. 1, operating daily nonstop flights from Mumbai to the Malabar coast city. The new service makes Kozhikode Akasa’s 30th overall and 24th domestic destination, strengthening its presence in Kerala alongside existing flights to Kochi. “Our daily Mumbai–Kozhikode service will not only enhance connectivity between India’s commercial capital and the Malabar coast, but also act as a catalyst for trade, tourism and economic opportunities,” says Praveen Iyer, Akasa co-founder and CCO.
Ryanair has announced its largest-ever winter schedule in Finland, featuring 16 routes and four new services from Rovaniemi to Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Shannon. The expanded program will operate more than 120 weekly flights. Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson says the ULCC is prepared to quadruple traffic in Finland to more than 3 million passengers annually by 2030 with a $300 million investment in a new three-aircraft base at Helsinki.
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