New airline route announcements are a great time for airfare deal hunters. New flights offer the opportunity for cheap travel, especially when airlines offer attractive deals to market their new routes. “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. 
Airlines have announced several new routes in recent months. Delta, for instance, is launching flights from Atlanta to Marrakech, Morocco, in October 2025. Delta’s fall flights to Marrakech have been on sale for as low as $534 round trip, which is significantly lower than the average price of about $950 for an itinerary that, up until now, has included connections. * Delta’s fall flights to Marrakech have been on sale for as low as $534 round trip. * The average price of a similar itinerary was around $950. * New flights to Morocco may offer cheaper fares than usual. Budget carriers like Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines have also announced updates to their route networks. Spirit, for example, is adding service to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Columbia, South Carolina. These moves could help bring down airfares for these markets. However, introductory fares are not necessarily the best deals. It is essential to use travel search tools to find out what has historically been considered cheap prices for a specific route.
Consider the Competition
Sometimes, airlines launch new routes where they’re competing with incumbent carriers. This happened last summer when 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. The price war for this summer has already begun, with Delta pricing 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 Advantage of New Routes
New routes can be a great time for travelers to find affordable airfare. Here are some tips to help you make the most of new airline routes:
* Sign up for airline emails. 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. Google Flights and Going both offer features to help provide a benchmark for what is actually a good deal. Set up price alerts and book a fare that lets you rebook and get a flight credit if the price drops.
Waiting for the Right Deal
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,” 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.
Why New Routes Matter
New airline route announcements are a great time for airfare deal hunters. By being aware of the new routes and deals, you can save money on your next flight. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just looking for a cheap way to get somewhere, new airline routes are worth keeping an eye on.
Getting Ready for Summer
Summer is approaching, and airlines are gearing up for their busy schedules. Flying to new destinations and increasing frequencies to popular cities is a great opportunity for airfare deal hunters. By being prepared and using the right tools, you can find affordable airfare and make the most of new airline routes.
Conclusion
New airline route announcements are a great time for airfare deal hunters.
