Airline route announcements can be an exciting development for travelers, especially those looking to snag a good deal on flights. For airfare deal hunters, it’s essential to be aware of new routes and the deals surrounding them. Airlines are gearing up for their busy summer schedules, flying to new destinations and increasing frequencies to popular cities. They’re even starting to announce new fall routes, which means new opportunities to travel somewhere for cheap. “This is really an opportunity where the airlines can make a grand entrance for a new route and really drum up excitement,” says Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for Going, a flight deals alert service. By the time a new route is announced, introductory fares are usually available for a short period of time, which can result in significant savings.
Look for Introductory Fares
Summer schedules have been released for a while, and some carriers are already thinking ahead to fall. For example, Delta has announced that it was launching flights from Atlanta to Marrakech, Morocco, in October. Delta’s fall flights to Marrakech have been on sale for as low as $534 round trip, which is well below the average price of about $950 for an itinerary that, up until now, has included connections, according to Going. Keep an eye out as new flights or destinations are announced. If you are flexible about where to travel this year, you might be able to snag a cash or points discount as part of a new route promotion. Airlines are more likely to offer attractive deals to market their route announcements.
- Spirit Airlines has announced it is adding service to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Columbia, South Carolina, which could help bring down airfares for these markets.
- Frontier Airlines has also announced updates to its route network, including new flights to Kansas City, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Consider the Competition
Sometimes, airlines launch new routes where they’re competing with incumbent carriers. For example, Delta started flying from Seattle to Taipei, Taiwan, which was already serviced by EVA Air, a Taiwanese carrier. Within months, two other Taiwanese carriers — China Airlines and Starlux Airlines — also launched flights to Seattle from Taipei. To put that in perspective, in July 2023, there were 10,602 airplane seats available on that route, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. This July, that number is expected to quadruple to a whopping 43,222 seats. When so many seats flood the market like that, airlines often respond by dropping prices to undercut the competition. For instance, Delta priced round-trip flights in early July for as low as $740 in the last 60 days, according to Google Flights. Other airlines have been asking around $1,300 or more per person, nearly twice as much. Taipei has also featured prominently in Delta’s award sales. Last month, points and miles travelers could book round-trip economy tickets to Taipei from Seattle and other West Coast cities for 40,000 Delta SkyMiles plus taxes and fees.
Take Flights Between Popular Cities
More competition can also lead to lower prices on domestic flights. For example, Alaska Airlines was the only one flying between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport until this month, when Delta launched its own flights. Now, two carriers are competing for passengers, which could result in fare drops.
Wait It Out
If you missed the introductory deals that came out months in advance, you still might get lucky. New routes can also lead to lower prices when carriers overestimate the demand for a certain destination. “Airlines can only forecast so well,” Katy Nastro says, so when anticipated demand doesn’t materialize, “later-in-the-game softening” might lead to good deals. One airline to watch this year is United. This summer, the carrier is adding flights to far-flung locales like Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Nuuk, Greenland — obscure destinations that surprised many when they were announced. United is betting big that travelers are tiring of overcrowded tourist destinations and would rather visit places off the beaten track. How full those new flights get will determine how airfare pricing looks toward the end of the season on its new routes — and whether they return next year.
How to Take Advantage of New Airline Routes
To make the most of new airline route announcements, follow these tips:
- Sign up for emails from your favorite airline. Airlines will typically send new flight route deals to their email lists. Typically, only a select number of seats go on sale, so it pays to be among the first to know.
- Use tools like “Explore” on Google Flights. Those results will show you the cheapest flights to anywhere in the world for the dates you select, and you might find destinations that you didn’t even know you could get to from your home airport.
- Use tools that track pricing history to help provide a benchmark for what is actually a good deal. Google Flights and Going both offer such features. Set up price alerts and book a fare that lets you rebook and get a flight credit if the price drops.
By following these tips, you can take advantage of new airline route announcements and save money on flights. With the right strategies, you can find cheap flights to anywhere in the world.
Stay Informed
To stay informed about new airline route announcements and deals, follow your favorite airlines on social media, sign up for their email newsletters, and use travel search tools like Google Flights. By doing so, you can get the latest updates on new flights and prices, and find the best deals for your next trip.
“Airlines can only forecast so well,” says Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for Going. “Later-in-the-game softening” might lead to good deals, but it’s essential to stay flexible and be prepared to pounce on opportunities.
