The Most Notable New Airline Routes This Week
eight mini-stories about subjectively exciting services that took off between June 17 and 23. While dozens of routes worldwide started in the examined period, only a selection of intriguing additions are covered in this article.
Air Transat Starts 2 New European Routes
The German capital, Berlin, has flights from Canada again. This occurred on June 19, when Air Transat lifted off from Toronto. The carrier partners with Porter, with passengers able to connect to its network across Canada and to the US. The 199-seat A321LR operates twice-weekly.
While no carrier has served Toronto-Berlin Brandenburg before, Air Canada Rouge's 767-300ERs operated to the now-closed Tegel between 2017 and 2019. The new route marks Air Transat's return to Germany, having last flown to other airports until 2014.
Photo: Berlin Brandenburg Airport Photo: Berlin Brandenburg Airport
At a maximum block time of 8h 50m, Air Transat’s new link is the airline’s longest narrowbody-operated service. Notably, the leisure carrier’s inaugural flight back to Canada took 8h 48m, with the block time being insufficiently long.
On June 20, Air Transat took off from Montreal to Valencia, with a weekly LR operation. It is the first time the Spanish city has had nonstop flights from Canada, and the first time since 2012 that it has had any long-haul service. Air Transat now serves a record four Spanish cities.
They are operated by 10 airlines.
Virgin Australia Doubles Middle Eastern Services
Virgin Australia now has two Middle Eastern routes, its most ever. This is because of the June 19 launch of flights from Brisbane to Doha using a 777-300ER leased from Qatar Airways, with the daily service entirely existing to feed the Gulf carrier.
To maximize two-way connectivity via Doha, the pair’s schedule complements one another. Virgin gets to the Middle East at 23:00, while Qatar Airways arrives at 05:45. To Queensland, the Gulf airline leaves at 20:25, while Virgin goes at 01:40. This means both of Qatar Airways' busiest European waves are connected to/from Brisbane, which will grow its competitiveness and market share.
Virgin now serves Doha from Sydney and Brisbane. Perth flights will begin on June 26, followed by Melbourne on December 1. When that route begins, the pair will have 10 daily flights from Australia to Doha. All Virgin flights will arrive in the Middle East between 21:40 and 23:30, feeding overnight flights to Europe.
This is the second out of three new routes that Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways will launch in June.
International Flights Return To Hamilton
After 13 years, international flights have returned to Hamilton, New Zealand’s fourth most populous city. For context, Hamilton is located around 75 miles (121 km) from Auckland, the nation’s largest city.
Low-cost carrier Jetstar has introduced service from Sydney (four-weekly) and the ever-popular Gold Coast (three-weekly). In both cases, A320ceos leave Australia in the early morning and return in the early to mid-afternoon.
Photo: Jetstar Photo: Jetstar Photo: Jetstar
Hamilton to Sydney was served until 2010; Air New Zealand, Freedom Air, and Virgin Blue (as Virgin Australia was then called) operated. In contrast, flights to the Gold Coast existed until 2009, with Air New Zealand and Freedom Air having the honors. While Brisbane has not returned to Hamilton's map, it had more flights than the other two Australian cities.
Take Off: Air Sierra Leone's 1st Regular London Flights
After a one-off service in April for National Day celebrations, with the following photos of that operation, Air Sierra Leone has commenced its first regular flights between Freetown and London Gatwick.
Photo: Air Sierra Leone Photo: Air Sierra Leone Photo: Air Sierra Leone
Flights operate twice-weekly. Due to the carrier’s UK ban, its operating permit is conditional on using a UK operator, which is a very expensive arrangement. Flightradar24 shows that a Titan Airways A321neo operated the first round-trip operation.
From now on, the route should be operated by Ascend’s 737 MAX 8s. At 2,627 nautical miles (4,865 km) each way, it will be London’s longest nonstop 737-operated flight by distance.
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London Gets Longest Boeing 737 Flights With New Airline Arrival
When all of the UK is considered, it will be the third-longest service.
Wizz Air Jets To Gabala
On June 19, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi inaugurated the first service ever from the UAE capital to Gabala, Azerbaijan. Flights operate thrice weekly on the A321neo and A321ceo.
The timing was unfortunate. Due to the Israel-Iran conflict, which has also resulted in airlines not overflying Iraqi airspace, Wizz Air must detour significantly. Rather than a 3h 10m block time, the flight time has thus far taken five+ hours each way.
Photo: Wizz Air Photo: Wizz Air Photo: Flightradar24
Barely 100,000 people live in the Gabala District. The airport opened in 2011 and has not had regular service from anywhere since 2019. Moscow and the Azerbaijan capital, Baku, were mainly served, while Air Arabia operated Sharjah-Gabala in 2018.
Royal Jordanian Is Back in India
It took 11 years, but 
Royal Jordanian resumed Amman to Mumbai flights on June 19. The route, which is unaffected by airspace bans in various Middle Eastern nations, runs four times weekly. While the first handful of services have been on the A320ceo, the much more fuel-efficient A320neo will take over in July.
To maximize two-way connectivity from multiple European airports, including London Heathrow, London Stansted, and Manchester in the UK, there’s a split schedule.
Photo: Royal Jordanian Photo: Royal Jordanian Photo: Royal Jordanian
On Mondays, flights leave the Jordanian capital at 01:01 and 20:45 (two on one day!), while they depart at 01:01 on Thursdays and 20:45 on Fridays. Returning, they get back to Amman at 13:45 on Mondays/Thursdays and 09:30 on Tuesdays/Saturdays.
Royal Jordanian last served Mumbai in 2014, when many flights were on the A319. That year was when it last flew to Delhi, with that city rejoining its network in September (four weekly A319/A320neo).
LOT Polish Returns To Greece's 2nd Largest City
Thessaloniki is not only a popular inbound tourist destination, but also Greece’s second most populous city. On June 17, LOT Polish reintroduced flights from its growing Warsaw Chopin hub, focusing on the local market (only 8,000 passengers last year) and connections throughout its network.
The route operates daily through the summer, with the E175, E190, and E195 nearly always deployed. Frequencies fall to four times weekly in the winter, balanced by being on the higher-gauge 737-800. Somewhat surprisingly, it’s a year-round operation.
Photo: Fraport Greece Photo: LOT Polish
LOT Polish last served Thessaloniki in 2009-2011 and again in 2020-2021. However, in all those cases, the Star Alliance member only operated in the summer, and with far fewer flights. In July 2025, it will compete directly with Smartwings (weekly) and Buzz (weekly), and indirectly with Ryanair from Modlin (twice-weekly).
Chicago-Halifax Has 2 Airlines For The 1st Time In 18 Years
On June 21, 
American Eagle took off from Chicago O’Hare to Halifax, Nova Scotia’s capital and most populous city. Seasonal Envoy Air E175-operated services operate on Saturdays only until October 4. The carrier last served the airport pair in 2007.
Halifax is American’s sixth Canadian destination from O’Hare, alongside Calgary, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, and Vancouver. It has up to 13 daily departures to its northern neighbor.
Photo: Halifax Stanfield International Airport Photo: Halifax Stanfield International Airport
For the first time in 18 years, O’Hare to Halifax, which covers 1,077 nautical miles (1,995 km) each way, has two carriers. American Eagle joins United Express, whose Saturday-only SkyWest-operated E175 service resumed on May 24. It last existed in 2019.
