August proved to be a dynamic month for airline route activity, with carriers across the globe announcing long-haul flights, resuming seasonal services, and adding new regional connections. In this article, we cover the notable new routes announced in August 2025, along with major long-haul routes scheduled to begin or resume in September.
North America: Expansions and Firsts
Alaska Airlines is making one of its aggressive international expansions to date. The Seattle-based carrier will launch flights to London Heathrow and Reykjavik in Spring 2026, following up on its upcoming service to Rome. These new routes will be operated on a combination of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and 737 MAX 8s.
Meanwhile, in Canada, Porter Airlines continues to grow beyond its base at Toronto. The airline announced its first U.S. routes from Hamilton, linking the airport to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale from December with Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. This expansion broadens Porter’s U.S. footprint and competes with WestJet and Air Canada in southern Ontario.
China Southern Airlines is also expanding its North American network. Starting from September 16th, it will resume flights between Guangzhou and Vancouver, with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft twice weekly. This adds to its four weekly Toronto flights and marks an incremental return of Chinese carriers to Canada.
Latin America: Seasonal Growth and New Links
Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aéreas is resuming its flights to Punta del Este, Uruguay, after a seven-year gap. From December, the airline will operate a triangle route connecting São Paulo–Punta del Este–Buenos Aires, twice weekly on Boeing 737-800 and MAX 8 aircraft. The resumption of this route is aimed at the busy summer season, through late February 2026. For GOL, it is a symbolic return to a resort market while simultaneously entering Punta del Este’s Argentine market for the first time.
American Airlines, meanwhile, is entering the Northern Summer 2026 with a significant international expansion. It will add six routes, five of which are in Europe (Athens, Budapest, Milan, Prague, Zurich) and one in South America (Dallas–Buenos Aires). All but the Miami-Milan route will be operated by a 777-200ER, whereas the Milan route will be operated by Boeing 787-8s. The Dallas–Buenos Aires route corresponds to the 2026 World Cup, as international events continue to shape airline scheduling.
Europe: Low-Cost Expansion
Ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air is expanding out of Sofia, Bulgaria, with six new routes. Five are European cities (Chisinau, Prague, Turin, Lamezia, Palma de Mallorca), and one, Marrakech, is Wizz Air’s first-ever route between Sofia and Africa. The additions broaden Wizz’s network reach and intensify competition with both Ryanair and traditional carriers in Eastern Europe.
India’s IndiGo also announced its next Europe expansions, with the launch of daily Mumbai to Copenhagen and Delhi to London Heathrow flights, starting in October. Both routes will be operated by Norse’s Boeing 787-9, as IndiGo continues testing long-haul operations beyond its narrowbody-dominated operation.
Asia-Pacific: Australia Leads the Way
In the Pacific, two Australian carriers are adding significant international connectivity. Qantas announced that from June 23rd, 2026, it will restore daily Sydney–Auckland–New York JFK flights, a route it currently operates five times weekly. This will restore pre-pandemic levels and reaffirm New York as its crucial long-haul destination.
At the leisure end of the spectrum, Jetstar will launch flights between Brisbane and Rarotonga on May 18th, 2026. Operating thrice weekly by an A321neo, this route gives Jetstar a daily presence in the Cook Islands when combined with its existing Sydney service.
In East Asia, Air China announced new flights between Hangzhou and Hanoi, starting October 26th with four weekly A320 flights. Hainan Airlines will also return to the Middle East, resuming its Haikou–Abu Dhabi route on October 19th with weekly A330 service.
Middle East and Africa: Strategic Additions
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) continues its regional growth with the launch of the Baku–Tabriz flight, adding a second Iranian destination alongside Tehran. Flights will start on September 3rd using Embraer 190 aircraft.
Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, is set for four new international connections. Lufthansa will resume Munich–Riyadh flights in late October, while flynas will launch flights to Nairobi, and Saudia will launch flights to Moscow and Kozhikode. Together, these moves strengthen Riyadh’s global links in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions.
Elsewhere, Air Tanzania will debut in Nigeria with flights from Dar-es-Salaam to Lagos starting September 19th using Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. Royal Air Maroc is also expanding domestically with new Marrakech to Laayoune and Marrakech to Dakhla flights, both on E190s.
From Central Africa, TAAG Angola Airlines will launch Luanda–Nairobi flights on September 1st, shifting operations to the new Luanda airport in October.
Moreover, Royal Jordanian reinstates Casablanca flights on October 16th, marking a return after a twenty-year absence. Twice a week, the A320 and A321 will serve the route, reinforcing Morocco’s importance to RJ’s North African network.
New Routes Announced in August 2025
| Airline | Route | Launch Date | Frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | Seattle–London Heathrow | Spring 2026 | Daily | 787-9 |
| Alaska Airlines | Seattle–Reykjavik | Spring 2026 | Daily | 737 MAX 8 |
| Alaska Airlines | Seattle–Rome | May 2026 | 4 weekly | 787-9 |
| Porter Airlines | Hamilton–Orlando | Dec 12, 2025 | 3 weekly | E195-E2 |
| Porter Airlines | Hamilton–Fort Lauderdale | Dec 13, 2025 | 3 weekly | E195-E2 |
| China Southern | Guangzhou–Vancouver | Sep 16, 2025 | 2 weekly | 777-300ER |
| GOL | São Paulo–Punta del Este–Buenos Aires | Dec 21, 2025 | 2 weekly | 737-800/MAX 8 |
| American Airlines | Multiple new routes (Europe + Buenos Aires) | Summer 2026 | Daily | 787-8/777-200ER |
| Wizz Air | Sofia–6 destinations | Oct 2025–Mar 2026 | 2–4 weekly | A320/A321 |
| IndiGo | Mumbai–Copenhagen; Delhi–London | Oct 2025 | Daily | 787-9 |
| Qantas | Sydney–Auckland–New York JFK | Jun 23, 2026 | Daily | 787-9 |
| Jetstar | Brisbane–Rarotonga | May 18, 2026 | 3 weekly | A321neo |
| Air China | Hangzhou–Hanoi | Oct 26, 2025 | 4 weekly | A320 |
| Hainan Airlines | Haikou–Abu Dhabi | Oct 19, 2025 | Weekly | A330 |
| Azerbaijan Airlines | Baku–Tabriz | Sep 3, 2025 | 2 weekly | E190 |
| Lufthansa | Munich–Riyadh | Oct 26, 2025 | 3 weekly | A350-900 |
| flynas | Riyadh–Nairobi | Oct 2, 2025 | 3 weekly | A320 |
| Saudia | Riyadh–Moscow; Riyadh–Kozhikode | Oct 7/27, 2025 | Various | Widebody/narrowbody |
| Air Tanzania | Dar-es-Salaam–Lagos | Sep 19, 2025 | 3 weekly | 737 MAX 9 |
| Royal Air Maroc | Marrakech–Laayoune; Marrakech–Dakhla | Oct 2025 | 2 weekly each | E190 |
| TAAG | Luanda–Nairobi | Sep 1, 2025 | 3 weekly | 737 |
| Royal Jordanian | Amman–Casablanca | Oct 16, 2025 | 2 weekly | A320/A321 |
Notable Widebody New Routes Launching in September 2025
Several airlines are expanding their long-haul reach this September. These additions include strategic links between Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.
Notable highlights are China Eastern’s twin A350 launches to Barcelona and Vancouver, SAS returning to Seoul with the A350, and Hawaiian Airlines adding a transpacific link to Seoul on its 787-9. Etihad also strengthens Asia connections with Taipei, while KLM expands into Hyderabad using the Boeing 777.
| Airline | Route | Launch Date | Frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Eastern Airlines | Shanghai Pudong (PVG) – Barcelona (BCN) | Sept. 26 | 4 weekly | A350-900 |
| China Eastern Airlines | Shanghai Pudong (PVG) – Vancouver (YVR) | Sept. 25 | 2 weekly | A350-900 |
| China Southern Airlines | Wuhan (WUH) – Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) | Sept. 9 | 2 weekly | A350-900 |
| Etihad Airways | Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Taipei (TPE) | Sept. 7 | Daily | 787-9 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Seattle (SEA) – Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Sept. 12 | 5 weekly | 787-9 |
| KLM | Amsterdam (AMS) – Hyderabad (HYD) | Sept. 2 | 3 weekly | 777-200/200ER |
| SAS Scandinavian | Copenhagen (CPH) – Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Sept. 12 | 4 weekly | A350-900 |
| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul (IST) – Sevilla (SVQ) | Sept. 17 | Daily | 777-300ER |
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Sources: FlightRadar24, Routes Online, New Routes 2025
