Airlines Test New Long-Haul Routes as Demand Shifts
Airlines launch new long-haul routes for late 2025, with United and Air Canada serving Sapporo and Delta pushing into Riyadh.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- United and Air Canada are launching seasonal nonstop flights to Sapporo, Japan.
- British Airways and Finnair are adding one-stop routes to Melbourne, Australia.
- Delta Air Lines is launching the first U.S. nonstop flight from Atlanta to Riyadh.
- Carriers like Virgin Atlantic and Qantas are targeting leisure and event-driven demand.
Airlines are getting bolder with their long-haul route bets, utilizing efficient widebody aircraft to test niche markets that were once overlooked. From Sapporo to Riyadh, carriers are rolling out new connections to capture growing travel demand in unique destinations.
Every new route moving from the drawing board to the departure board is the result of months of thorough market research and financial analysis. While high-stakes, these expansions highlight where airlines see future growth potential before the end of the year.
The expansion into secondary leisure destinations and the clever restructuring of hub routes around geopolitical conflicts demonstrate how international carriers are constantly adapting their networks to maximize profitability and passenger capture.
Notable new city pairings launching soon include:
- United and Air Canada are both adding three-times-weekly nonstop service to Sapporo, Japan, starting with United from San Francisco on December 11 and Air Canada from Vancouver on December 17.
- British Airways and Finnair are introducing one-stop routes to Melbourne, Australia, via Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok respectively, joining Turkish Airlines.
- Delta Air Lines is launching the first U.S. nonstop flight from Atlanta to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, supported by a partnership with Riyadh Air.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Other leisure-focused nonstops include Virgin Atlantic's route from Heathrow to Phuket and Qantas's service from Sydney to Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus exiting the Dublin-Las Vegas route serves as a reminder that a viable path for one carrier can fail another's economic model.
Source: Skift
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