The Most Notable New Airline Routes This Week

Korean Air's Longest European Route to Lisbon

Korean Air has relaunched flights between Seoul Incheon and Lisbon, Portugal, marking the airline’s longest European route. The service, which began on September 11, 2024, operates three times a week using a Boeing 787-9. This follows the previous launch of the route by Asiana in 2019, which was later suspended due to the pandemic. Korean Air now serves 16 European destinations, including Lisbon, bypassing Russian airspace, making the 6,300-nautical-mile route 12% longer than it would have been. This flight now replaces the Seoul-Madrid route as the longest European service in the Korean Air network.

flydubai Expands into Iran

flydubai has added two new Iranian destinations to its growing network. On September 7, the airline began flights to Kish Island, a free-trade zone known for its relaxed visa regime. This marks flydubai’s shortest route, with a distance of just 107 nautical miles and a flight duration of 25 to 35 minutes. On September 9, flydubai also inaugurated flights to Kerman, 312 nautical miles away. The airline now serves eight cities in Iran and will use its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on both routes by November.

Qantas Launches Service to Vanuatu

Qantas has introduced its first direct flights between Brisbane and Port Vila, Vanuatu. The three-times-weekly service began on September 10, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. This marks Qantas' debut in the Vanuatu market, though its budget airline Jetstar has been serving the destination for some time. The new route faces competition from Virgin Australia’s daily service and Solomon Airlines’ once-weekly A320 flights.

Norse Atlantic Airways Debuts Flights to Las Vegas

On September 12, Norse Atlantic Airways launched its first flights to Las Vegas from London Gatwick. The airline, known for its long-haul, low-cost services, now operates the route three times a week with Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Las Vegas is the fifth U.S. destination for Norse, and the airline becomes the third operator to offer non-stop flights between London and Las Vegas, with approximately 450,000 passengers traveling between the two cities annually.

T’Way Air Adds Barcelona to its Network

Low-cost carrier T’Way has expanded its European network with the addition of flights between Seoul Incheon and Barcelona. The service, which launched recently, operates three times a week using Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with plans to increase to four weekly flights during the winter season. T’Way joins three other airlines on the Seoul-Barcelona route—Air Premia, Asiana, and Korean Air—making Barcelona one of only three European cities with four carriers serving the same long-haul route.

Other Notable Route Launches

Several other routes have been introduced recently. Aerus launched three new routes from Monterrey, Mexico, to Texas destinations Brownsville, Corpus Christi, and Laredo. WestJet now connects Winnipeg and Nashville, and Uganda Airlines introduced flights between Entebbe and Abuja, with a triangular service through Lagos. In addition, Air India has resumed flights between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur after an 18-year hiatus, and Delta celebrated 45 years of service to Daytona Beach.