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Tag: Routes

  • Alaska Airlines Adds 6 New Routes for 2027, Including Flights to Tokyo, Osaka, and Tahiti

    Alaska Airlines Adds 6 New Routes for 2027, Including Flights to Tokyo, Osaka, and Tahiti

    Alaska Airlines is adding several new routes for 2027, including three international flights to Japan and French Polynesia.

    The airline announced new nonstop service from Seattle to Osaka and Papeete, Tahiti, on October 20. And it’s following that up with another expansion, including its first nonstop flight between Anchorage and Tokyo Narita.

    While the Seattle routes will operate on Hawaiian Airlines’ widebody aircraft, the Anchorage–Tokyo flight will use something a little different: a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

    Here’s what’s coming next year.

    Alaska Adds 3 New International Routes for 2027

    Alaska’s international expansion includes two new year-round routes from Seattle and seasonal service from Anchorage to Tokyo.

    RouteLaunch DateFrequencyAircraft
    Seattle (SEA) ↔ Osaka (KIX)May 14, 20274X weekly, year-roundHawaiian A330-200
    Anchorage (ANC) ↔ Tokyo Narita (NRT)May 13, 2027Daily during summerAlaska 737 MAX 8
    Seattle (SEA) ↔ Papeete (PPT)June 11, 20273X weekly, year-roundHawaiian A330-200

    The Anchorage–Tokyo route will initially operate through September 7, 2027, with service scheduled to resume three times weekly in January 2028.

    All three routes are on sale and bookable with cash or Atmos Rewards points. Some, including Seattle–Osaka, are already bookable with partner currencies such as American Airlines AAdvantage miles. Others, including Anchorage–Tokyo, aren’t yet available through partners.

    You can search these routes on PointsYeah and set award alerts to keep an eye on availability as more options become bookable.

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    Seattle to Osaka and Tahiti

    The Seattle routes are part of Alaska’s broader effort to turn its largest hub into a major international gateway.

    Starting May 14, 2027, Hawaiian Airlines will fly between Seattle and Osaka four times weekly. The service will complement Hawaiian’s existing Honolulu–Osaka route.

    Then, on June 11, Hawaiian will begin flying between Seattle and Papeete three times weekly.

    This is a neat addition for travelers headed to French Polynesia. Alaska says the new service will provide convenient one-stop connections from cities across its domestic network, with same-day onward connections to Bora Bora and Moorea.

    Both flights will operate on Hawaiian’s Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which feature lie-flat business class seats and complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi for Atmos Rewards members.

    Hawaiian’s A330 fleet is also scheduled to begin receiving updated interiors in 2028, including new premium seating and a full cabin refresh.

    Anchorage to Tokyo Narita

    Alaska’s newest international announcement is a little more unusual.

    Beginning May 13, 2027, the airline will launch nonstop service between Anchorage and Tokyo Narita using a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

    That’s a narrowbody aircraft rather than the larger jets typically associated with transpacific service. And unlike Hawaiian’s A330s, which feature lie-flat business class seats, Alaska’s MAX 8 offers domestic-style First Class recliners.

    The Anchorage–Tokyo route will operate daily during the summer season, with three-times-weekly service scheduled to begin in January 2028.

    Alaska Is Also Adding 3 Domestic Routes From Anchorage

    On the domestic side, Alaska is also adding seasonal nonstop flights to Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Nashville.

    RouteService DatesFrequency
    Anchorage (ANC) ↔ Austin (AUS)June 12 – August 7, 2027Once weekly
    Anchorage (ANC) ↔ Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)June 12 – August 7, 2027Once weekly
    Anchorage (ANC) ↔ Nashville (BNA)June 12 – August 7, 2027Once weekly

    All three routes will operate on Saturdays.

    These flights will give travelers additional nonstop options for reaching Alaska during the summer, while also making it easier for Anchorage residents to reach destinations farther east without connecting through Seattle.

  • Southwest Is Planning Its Biggest Summer Schedule Ever

    Southwest Is Planning Its Biggest Summer Schedule Ever

    Southwest Airlines is planning its busiest summer yet.

    The airline opened its summer 2027 schedule for booking on October 3, with as many as 4,498 flights scheduled on peak days between June 3 and August 2. That’s a lot of flying.

    It’s also the most Southwest has ever scheduled for a summer. And most of that growth is centered around Austin, Nashville, and San Diego.

    There are plenty of new routes mixed in, too, including more international flights from Austin and Nashville.

    Southwest Is Adding 7 Seasonal Routes From Austin

    Austin is getting one of the biggest expansions.

    Southwest plans to operate as many as 143 departures from AUS, including seven seasonal routes. Five of those haven’t previously been offered by the airline.

    The biggest additions take Austin outside the U.S. Southwest will add weekend flights to Liberia, Costa Rica; Nassau, Bahamas; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, during June and July.

    Those join existing Southwest flights from Austin to Cancun, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, and San José, Costa Rica.

    Domestically, Southwest is bringing back daily summer service to Portland, Oregon, and Saturday flights to Sarasota. Savannah gets weekend service, while Bozeman is also getting Saturday-only flights.

    It’s a fairly substantial summer expansion for an airport where Southwest already has a big presence. And there’s more investment coming.

    Austin is one of the first four airports where Southwest plans to open its own airport lounges.

    Nashville Keeps Growing

    Southwest is going even bigger in Nashville, where it plans to operate as many as 220 flights during summer 2027.

    That’s up to 20 more daily departures than summer 2026 and the airline’s largest summer schedule yet in Nashville.

    Three new seasonal routes are coming with it. Southwest will add flights from Nashville to Boise, Nassau, and Providenciales in Turks and Caicos. Seasonal service to Bozeman and Portland will return as well.

    Worth noting: Nashville is also getting one of the airline’s first lounges, which is already under construction.

    More on This: Southwest Airlines Shares Updates on Lounges, Premium Card, and Long-Haul Flying

    More Flights Are Coming Elsewhere, Too

    San Diego will have as many as 150 Southwest flights during the summer.

    That includes up to six daily flights to Austin on peak days and three weekday flights to Seattle. Southwest is also adding Sunday-only seasonal service between San Diego and Oklahoma City, alongside returning summer routes to Bozeman, Columbus, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh.

    Las Vegas and Orlando are growing, too.

    Southwest plans as many as 278 flights from Las Vegas, 12 more than the previous summer, while Orlando will reach as many as 173, an increase of 17.

    Seasonal daily service between Las Vegas and Anchorage will also return in June. Bozeman gets returning seasonal flights to Chicago Midway and Dallas.

    Altogether, Southwest says its summer schedule will reach 4,498 flights on peak days. That amounts to its largest ever.

    The new schedule covers travel from June 3 through August 2, 2027, and flights are already available to book.

  • Delta Adds New Flights to Athens, Venice, and Paris for 2027

    Delta Adds New Flights to Athens, Venice, and Paris for 2027

    Delta is adding three new routes to Europe in 2027, with new nonstop flights to Athens, Venice, and Paris.

    The airline announced Thursday, September 25, that it will begin flying from Detroit (DTW) to Athens (ATH) and Boston (BOS) to Venice (VCE) next summer. Those flights will join a previously announced route from Austin (AUS) to Paris (CDG), which begins in March.

    Delta is also stretching several seasonal Europe routes farther into the spring and fall, giving some destinations a longer window than the usual summer schedule.

    Delta Adds New Flights to Athens, Venice, and Paris

    Delta will begin flying from Detroit to Athens three times weekly on June 8, 2027. Flights will operate through October 28 aboard an Airbus A330-200.

    It will be the first nonstop flight between Detroit and Athens, making Detroit Delta’s fourth U.S. gateway to the Greek capital.

    Boston gets a new route of its own beginning May 7. Delta will fly four times weekly to Venice through October 29 using an Airbus A330-300.

    That gives Boston another nonstop option to Italy, where Delta has been steadily adding service over the past few years. The airline will also increase its Boston-Milan route to daily service in 2027.

    Farther south, Delta will begin daily flights between Austin and Paris on March 27, 2027, giving Austin its first nonstop connection to the French capital. The route will use an Airbus A330-900neo.

    All three routes will offer Delta One business class and Delta Premium Select premium economy in addition to economy.

    The additions are part of a broader period of international growth for Delta. The airline is also preparing to launch its first flights to Riyadh (RUH) on October 23, 2026, adding Saudi Arabia to its route map.

    Delta Is Lengthening the Europe Season

    The new routes aren’t the only change coming to Delta’s Europe schedule.

    Several seasonal flights will start earlier in 2027, while others will stick around longer.

    Flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul and Detroit to Rome will begin in early March, for example, while Seattle-Rome will start in April. Delta is also bringing back several routes earlier in the year, including New York-JFK to Catania, Porto, Prague, and Copenhagen.

    Boston and Seattle flights to Barcelona and Atlanta-Edinburgh will return earlier as well.

    Some routes are also getting more service. Detroit-Rome and New York-Copenhagen will operate daily when they return, while Cincinnati-Paris will continue three times weekly from January through March.

    That makes Delta’s transatlantic network a little less dependent on the traditional summer rush.

  • Alaska Airlines Is Getting Much Bigger at Seattle’s Other Airport

    Alaska Airlines Is Getting Much Bigger at Seattle’s Other Airport

    Alaska Airlines is planning a sizable expansion at Paine Field, giving the Seattle area’s secondary airport considerably more service over the next year.

    The airline announced September 24 that it will increase its seat capacity at Seattle Paine Field (PAE) by 50% between this fall and summer 2027.

    The expansion includes one new destination, San Jose, along with more flights or larger aircraft on several existing routes.

    Alaska plans to begin twice-daily flights between Paine Field and San Jose on April 14, 2027, operated by Horizon Air with Embraer E175 aircraft.

    Los Angeles will also increase to twice-daily service, with both flights moving to larger Boeing 737 aircraft. Portland grows to two flights per day, while Alaska is adding seats to San Diego and San Francisco.

    Paine Field Is Becoming a Bigger Part of Alaska’s Seattle Network

    None of the individual route changes is especially dramatic. Taken together, though, a 50% increase in seats is meaningful for an airport that offers an alternative to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

    Paine Field sits roughly 25 miles north of downtown Seattle in Everett, making it considerably closer for parts of northern Seattle and communities north of the city. Its small passenger terminal also offers a very different experience from Alaska’s much larger operation at SeaTac.

    The expansion doesn’t turn Paine Field into another major hub. Most of Alaska’s Seattle-area flying will continue to operate from SEA.

    But by summer 2027, PAE will offer substantially more Alaska capacity to several major West Coast destinations. For anyone living north of Seattle, that makes checking both airports before booking a trip a little more important.

  • Air Canada Adds 5 New International Destinations for 2027

    Air Canada Adds 5 New International Destinations for 2027

    Air Canada is planning a major international expansion for next summer.

    On September 3, it announced that it plans to add five destinations to its network and launch seven new routes across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

    The additions touch all three of Air Canada’s major hubs in Toronto (YYZ), Montréal (YUL), and Vancouver (YVR). And several of the new routes will put the airline’s growing Airbus A321XLR fleet to work on thinner routes across the Atlantic.

    All of the new flights are already on sale for travel in 2027.

    Air Canada’s New International Routes for 2027

    Five destinations are completely new to Air Canada’s network.

    From Toronto, Air Canada will add seasonal flights to Oslo (OSL), Shannon (SNN), and Nice (NCE). Montréal gets new seasonal service to Basel (BSL) and Dubrovnik (DBV), while Vancouver will get a new year-round route to Guangzhou (CAN).

    RouteStartsAircraft
    Vancouver (YVR) → Guangzhou (CAN)May 4Boeing 787
    Toronto (YYZ) → Oslo (OSL)June 2Airbus A321XLR
    Toronto (YYZ) → Shannon (SNN)June 10Airbus A321XLR
    Toronto (YYZ) → Nice (NCE)June 16Airbus A330-300
    Montréal (YUL) → Dubrovnik (DBV)May 11Boeing 787
    Montréal (YUL) → Basel (BSL)June 16Airbus A321XLR

    Air Canada is also bringing back its Toronto to London Heathrow (LHR) daytime flight. This will give it seven new routes in total.

    There are several other schedule changes coming. Toronto to Shanghai (PVG) will increase to daily service, while Toronto to Guatemala City (GUA) will become year-round.

    Air Canada is also extending its Montréal flights to Tenerife (TFS), Lima (LIM), and Guatemala City to operate year-round.

    The A321XLR Is Opening New Doors

    Three of Air Canada’s five new destinations will be served by the Airbus A321XLR.

    That’s notable because the XLR is much smaller than the widebody aircraft traditionally used for long-haul international flying. Its range allows Air Canada to connect cities across the Atlantic without committing a Boeing 787 or another large aircraft to the route.

    For 2027, that means Toronto gets nonstop flights to Oslo and Shannon, while Montréal gets a new connection to Basel. The aircraft will have two cabins, including Air Canada Signature Class with lie-flat seats.

    The first Airbus A321XLR for Air Canada C-GXLR at Hamburg Finkenwerder airport
    ANTONIO PIRRO / ISTOCK

    This is a strategy we’re seeing play out elsewhere, too. American and United both announced new international routes in August for next summer that will make use of their own A321XLR fleets.

    And Air Canada isn’t done expanding. The airline says more network announcements are coming and teased that details about its first Boeing 787-10 routes will be revealed in the coming months.

  • American’s A321XLR Is Starting to Reshape Its Europe Map

    American’s A321XLR Is Starting to Reshape Its Europe Map

    American Airlines is adding seven international routes in 2027, and its Airbus A321XLR will be flying several of them.

    Four of the routes announced Thursday will use the long-range narrowbody. That includes brand-new service to Vienna and Porto, along with new flights from New York (JFK) to Amsterdam and Nice.

    The A321XLR has been flying for American for less than a year, starting with transcontinental flights before heading across the Atlantic to Edinburgh. Those early routes offered a small preview of what American had planned for the jet.

    But its 2027 schedule is giving us a much better idea of what’s ahead.

    American’s New International Routes for 2027

    American’s expansion includes three destinations joining or returning to its network, plus several new routes to cities it already serves from other gateways.

    Some were announced earlier this year, while others are new as of Thursday.

    RouteStartsAircraft
    Chicago (ORD) → Tokyo Narita (NRT)March 19Boeing 787-9
    New York (JFK) → Amsterdam (AMS)March 28Airbus A321XLR
    Philadelphia (PHL) → Porto (OPO)March 28Airbus A321XLR
    New York (JFK) → Nice (NCE)May 6Airbus A321XLR
    Philadelphia (PHL) → Vienna (VIE)May 6Airbus A321XLR
    Charlotte (CLT) → Barcelona (BCN)May 27Boeing 777-200ER
    Philadelphia (PHL) → Reykjavik (KEF)May 27Airbus A321neo

    Vienna and Porto will be entirely new destinations for American. Reykjavik returns to the airline’s network for the first time since 2019.

    Elsewhere, American is bringing back Charlotte to Barcelona and adding new service from New York to Amsterdam and Nice. The Chicago to Tokyo Narita route was previously announced in July but is still included in American’s seven-route expansion for 2027.

    There are a few other schedule changes coming next year. American will add a fourth daily flight between New York and London Heathrow (LHR), while seasonal Charlotte to Paris (CDG) and Miami to Milan (MXP) service will extend into early January 2028.

    Tickets were supposed to go on sale Monday, August 31, but went on sale a day early.

    More on This: How to Search for Award Flights with PointsYeah

    American Is Finding More Work for the A321XLR

    Four of the seven routes will be flown by an aircraft that carries just 155 passengers.

    That’s considerably fewer seats than you’ll find on the Boeing 787s and 777s that do much of American’s long-haul flying. But the A321XLR can still cross the Atlantic. It’s outfitted with 20 Flagship Suite business class seats, 12 Premium Economy seats, and 123 seats in economy.

    For American, that means having a smaller aircraft it can send on long international routes without giving up business class or Premium Economy.

    The 2027 schedule shows how American can put that flexibility to work. The XLR can open new destinations like Vienna and Porto or add another U.S. gateway to cities already on the map, as American is doing with Amsterdam and Nice.

    There are plenty more XLRs coming, too. American has dozens still on order. That could mean more niche European routes or flights to new destinations in South America.

    For passengers, there is one very big tradeoff. More long-haul XLR routes also mean more opportunities to spend a transatlantic flight on a single-aisle aircraft.

    Whether that matters probably depends on where you’re sitting.

    More on This: What to Expect When Flying on an Airbus A321XLR

  • United Keeps Finding New Places for You to Go With Your Miles

    United Keeps Finding New Places for You to Go With Your Miles

    United miles just got a little more useful.

    The airline announced a flurry of new international routes Tuesday, including flights to 10 cities it doesn’t currently serve.

    With each passing day, there are fewer and fewer cities on the world map where you won’t see a United tail. And eight of these new destinations won’t have nonstop service from the U.S. on another U.S. airline.

    That means new ways to get to places like Okinawa, Toulouse, Luxembourg, Ibiza, and Ljubljana without connecting overseas. And if you happen to have United MileagePlus miles, it means more places to put them to work.

    If those miles are burning a hole in your pocket, there’s no need to wait until next year to start looking. Tickets for all 13 new routes are already on sale.

    United’s 13 New International Routes

    United’s latest expansion stretches from Japan to the Mediterranean, with most of the new service beginning in spring 2027.

    RouteStartsAircraft
    San Francisco (SFO) → Okinawa (OKA)March 27Boeing 777-200ER
    Los Angeles (LAX) → Osaka (KIX)March 27TBD
    Newark (EWR) → Luxembourg (LUX)April 2Airbus A321XLR
    Washington Dulles (IAD) → Toulouse (TLS)April 26Airbus A321XLR
    Newark (EWR) → Ljubljana (LJU)May 12Boeing 767-400ER
    Newark (EWR) → Olbia (OLB)May 27Boeing 767-300ER
    Denver (DEN) → Paris (CDG)May 27TBD
    Newark (EWR) → Catania (CTA)May 28Boeing 767-300ER
    Washington Dulles (IAD) → Milan (MXP)May 28TBD
    Newark (EWR) → Ibiza (IBZ)May 31Airbus A321XLR
    Newark (EWR) → Valencia (VLC)June 2Airbus A321XLR
    Newark (EWR) → Marseille (MRS)June 4Airbus A321XLR
    Newark (EWR) → Terceira (TER)June 9Boeing 737 MAX 8

    Five of the new routes will be flown by United’s brand-new Airbus A321XLR, which kicks off international service later this year. Its extended range gives United another way to serve international routes that may not have enough demand to justify a larger aircraft.

    That helps explain some of the more unusual additions to the map. Toulouse and Luxembourg aren’t exactly the first cities that come to mind when a U.S. airline announces another round of flights to Europe.

    But that’s part of the appeal of this particular jet.

    More on This: What to Expect When Flying on an Airbus A321XLR

    More Places to Use United Miles

    It’s too easy to think about airline miles in terms of price. How many miles does an award cost? Did the price go up? Can you find something cheaper?

    Where those miles can take you matters just as much. If not more.

    United says it has added nearly 60 international destinations since 2017, giving MileagePlus members an increasingly long list of places to use their miles. These latest additions include several destinations that would otherwise require another flight, train ride, or connection after crossing the Atlantic.

    Want to go to Ibiza? United will soon take you there nonstop from Newark. The same goes for Ljubljana, Toulouse, Terceira, and Valencia.

    None of that guarantees a cheap award ticket. But every new route creates another opportunity to use your miles for the trip you actually want to take.

    United Cardholders Have an Advantage

    There’s another wrinkle worth knowing before you start searching.

    United doesn’t show every MileagePlus member the same award pricing.

    Eligible United credit card holders can receive savings of 10% or more on eligible United-operated award flights. Those with both an eligible card and Premier status can save 15% or more.

    That benefit is less obvious than a free checked bag or lounge access, but potentially a lot more valuable when you’re ready to use your miles.

    And it’s something PointsYeah can account for.

    United Airlines award from EWR to LUX via PointsYeah.
    POINTSYEAH

    When searching live United award availability through PointsYeah, you can view cardholder-exclusive pricing directly in your results. That means you don’t also need to check United’s website to see if your card gets you a better deal.

    More on This: Which Airlines and Hotels Can You Search with PointsYeah?

    See What’s Available

    United’s new routes don’t begin flying until next spring, but they’re already on sale.

    So whether Okinawa caught your attention or Ibiza sounds better, you can use PointsYeah to start looking for award space now, including the cardholder pricing you’re eligible for.

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