Welcome to the 151st weekly route article! This is the first edition for 2025. I reviewed some intriguing services that started or resumed between December 31 to January 6.Check out my most recent article here.
Delta launches 3rd São Paulo service.
On January 6, Delta Air Lines launched its third route to São Paulo Guarulhos. This is the first time the airport pair has had a US carrier, originating from Boston. It runs three times a week on the A330-300. Between 2020 and 2024, Delta had only two São Paulo services, compared to four in 2019.
Unusually, it is a daylight route to Brazil. DL165 departs Boston at 09:00 and arrives in São Paulo at 20:45 (local time). Returning, DL164 leaves at 22:45 and arrives at 06:55+1. There are no celebration photographs of the launch currently available.
Delta will only serve the route for the rest of the winter, with the final departure from Boston on March 27. This is because it is temporarily substituting for its joint venture partner, LATAM. Its latest Boston departure was on January 3, and the next is on March 31.
In 2018, LATAM started flights between Boston and São Paulo, which were previously unavailable. In the fiscal year ending July 2024, it transported 63,000 roundtrip point-to-point passengers. The Brazilian city was Boston’s largest South American market, followed by Bogotá (44,000).
Brand-new 8-hour+ Boeing 737 service.
On January 3, AerolÃneas Argentinas began weekly flights from Rosario to Punta Cana. The service operates two-class, 170-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8s.
It is the first time the city pair has had flights, and it is closed for 8 hours and 10 minutes in both directions. It carried 12,000 passengers in the fiscal year ending October 2024, nearly all of whom flew through Panama City with Copa.
Rosario-Punta Cana is one of the world’s longest non-stop 737 routes, measuring 3,107 nautical miles (5,754 kilometers). It is only 175 nautical miles (324 km) shorter than the most often served market, Gol’s Brasilia-Orlando.
The route is longer than AerolÃneas’ previous longest narrowbody market, Cordoba-Punta Cana. The airline first offered this route in 2018. It existed until 2019 before returning in 2024.
Ajet takes off for Algiers.
Three airlines now fly from Istanbul to Algiers, a record number. That is due to the January 6 debut of AJet (formerly known as AnadoluJet) from Sabiha Gökçen, on the Asian side of the massive city.
Turkish Airlines’ lower-cost business operates five weekly flights using the 737-800/737 MAX 8. Sabiha Gökçen’s last flights to Algiers were with Air Algerie, which ran briefly in 2016.
Istanbul-Algiers has 364,000 roundtrip point-to-point passengers, making it Africa’s second-largest market after Cairo (369,000). It will become number one once AJet’s traffic data are factored in.
Until now, only two flag carriers, Turkish Airlines and Air Algiers, served the market. There are six to seven daily services this week, including three by Turkish Airlines and Air Algiers, as well as the new AJet operation.
During peak summer, frequencies reach a high of nine daily. Turkish Airlines will operate four flights each day, Air Algerie 24 times per week, and AJet five times per week.
Emirates A380 is back in Copenhagen.
Emirates began flying the A380 to Copenhagen on January 1, having previously utilized the superjumbo from 2015-2020. The type is now deployed to 51 destinations, beginning in Dubai.
To help fill the additional 374 seats per day, planes depart Dubai at 08:30 and return at 00:10+1. These dates maximize two-way connection, particularly to and from Asia-Pacific, which is critical for Copenhagen. Taipei is the most popular origin and destination, followed by Bali, Bangkok, Sydney, and Mauritius.
Qatar Airways’ two more routes
Qatar Airways has restored Doha-Damascus services, which were last operated in 2012. The return came after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s former tyrant and president.
Unusually, the route, which runs weekly on the A330-200, was only revealed five days before takeoff. There are no celebratory photographs presently available.
Damascus returned five days after the Saudi Arabian city of Abha, about 112 miles from the Yemen border, rejoined Qatar Airways’ network. Because of the then-blockade, it was last served in August 2017.
It is one of Qatar Airways’ least-served routes, with only A320ceo flights on Thursdays and Saturdays. In 2017, there were up to twice as many flights each day. Will it ever return to that frequency?
Ahba is Qatar Airways’ eleventh destination in Saudi Arabia. It connects Al-Ula, Dammam, Gassim, Jeddah, Madinah, Neom Bay, Riyadh, Tabuk, Taif, and Yanbu. Only Hofuf, which flew from 2014 to 2017, has not returned. In mid-January 2025, the airline had 141 weekly flights to Saudi Arabia, more than any other country.
Only 3,000 point-to-point passengers traveled between Doha and Ahba in the fiscal year ending July 2024. It’s a little market. Of course, many travelers will connect elsewhere, including at Dhaka (31,000), Manila (20,000), Islamabad (14,000), Delhi (13,000), and Kochi (12,000).
Air India Express announces two new Dammam routes
Dammam, with 44,000 roundtrip passengers, was Bengaluru’s second-largest untapped Middle Eastern market after Riyadh (51,000). Despite this, there have been no nonstop flights from Bengaluru to Dammam since Saudia quit the market in 2016, when the A330 was operated.
That changed on January 1, when Air India Express introduced a three-week Boeing 737 MAX 8 service. It will increase traffic with nonstop service and cut rates.
On January 2, the carrier launched a twice-weekly 737 MAX 8 service from Tiruchchirappalli (Trichy) to Dammam. Approximately 19,000 travelers fly between the two cities, primarily via Colombo.
The route to Saudi Arabia, which is lengthier than the one from Bengaluru, had only a few flights in 2020/2021. This will be the first time it is served routinely.
Air India Express now operates 12 routes from Dammam. The Saudi city is one of 13 airports that the airline serves in the Middle East. Dammam now has 54 weekly departures, trailing only Dubai (84), Sharjah (77), and Abu Dhabi (55).
GallopAir… gallops off on the first route.
On December 31, Brunei’s brand-new GallopAir, owned by a Chinese tycoon, began operations between Bandar and Guangzhou.
The 1,106 nautical mile (2,048 km) city pair has not had regular flights in decades, if ever. This is not surprising given that there are only about 1,000 indirect passengers per year.
GallopAir currently does not utilize its own aircraft. Instead, it’s chartered a China Southern COMAC C909. It is uncertain when Gallop’s plane will arrive.
While it remains to be seen, Gallop claims it intends to build a fleet of up to 30 COMAC machines and establish a regional hub. It will be a difficult battle against the government-owned Royal Brunei, which controls traffic privileges and everything else. Then there’s the modest size of the national market.
What are the most significant new airline routes this week?
This week’s notable airline routes include connections between major global cities, enhancing travel options for passengers worldwide.
Which airlines launched new routes this week?
Major airlines like Delta, Emirates, and Lufthansa introduced new routes to expand their networks and cater to rising travel demand.
What regions are benefiting from these new routes?
The new routes primarily connect North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, improving global connectivity.
Why are airlines introducing new routes now?
Airlines are responding to growing passenger demand and seeking to enhance connectivity as travel continues to recover post-pandemic.
How can travelers find out about new airline routes?
Travelers can stay updated through airline websites, travel news outlets, and announcements from aviation authorities.