American, Starlux Sign Codeshare Agreement

The Taiwanese carrier serves five destinations in the western U.S.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 02:55 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Starlux's first Airbus A350-900 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after its delivery flight. (Photo: Starlux)

American Airlines and Taiwanese carrier Starlux have launched a codeshare partnership covering flights between the western U.S. and Taipei.

American said it will place its code on Starlux-operated flights to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Ontario, California. The carriers also plan to codeshare on Starlux flights between Phoenix and Taipei, pending regulatory approvals.

Flights are now available to book for travel starting Sept. 30.

“Taipei remains a top destination for global business, visiting friends and family, and leisure travel,” American Senior Vice President of Alliances Anmol Bhargava said in a news release. “This collaboration strengthens our global network and unlocks new competitive itineraries.”

AAdvantage members can earn miles and loyalty points when booking an American codeshare flight operated by Starlux. The airlines said they will work together to add more reciprocal benefits in the future.

Starlux operates mainly in East and Southeast Asia but also serves Prague and the five destinations in the U.S. It added Phoenix to its network in January.

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.

Avelo Adds Routes Ahead of McKinney Launch

Four new connections will come online in December.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 12:25 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Avelo Boeing 737-800. (Photo: Shutterstock | Jeiel Shamblee)

Avelo on Thursday announced four new nonstop routes from McKinney National Airport in North Texas, where it will launch commercial flights later this fall.

Starting Dec. 16, the ultra-low-cost airline will connect McKinney with Denver and Atlanta. One day later, on Dec. 17, service to New Orleans and Nashville, Tennessee, will commence.

Flights to Denver and Atlanta will operate four times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Service to New Orleans and Nashville will operate on Thursdays and Sundays.

Avelo will officially launch service at McKinney on Nov. 11, with flights to Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, and Tampa. Those four routes were announced back in June.

McKinney, currently a general aviation airport, is preparing to open a passenger terminal. Avelo is so far the only airline set to offer scheduled commercial service there, though that could change as traffic picks up.

Avelo also said it will base a third Boeing 737-800 at the airport.

“The response from North Texas has been extraordinary, and the bookings back that up,” Avelo founder and CEO Andrew Levy said in a news release. “Adding four new destinations and a third based aircraft further cements our commitment to Collin County. Our low fares, the small size and convenience of DTX, and our consistent industry-leading on-time performance are a winning combination for travelers.”

McKinney’s expansion into passenger service will bring another commercial airport into the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area, alongside Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field.

Zach Vasile

Alaska to Expand West Coast Network in 2027

The carrier will add a new route and increase capacity on four existing connections.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 10:31 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Alaska Airlines said it will add 50% more seats at Seattle Paine Field Airport through the summer of 2027.

Starting in the spring, the carrier will connect Everett, Washington, and San Jose, California. Flights will operate twice daily on Horizon Air, Alaska Air Group’s regional airline.

Alaska will also strengthen four existing connections from Paine Field. Service to Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, will grow to twice daily, the airline said, and capacity will be added on routes to San Francisco and San Diego. Flights to Los Angeles will use larger Boeing 737 aircraft.

“Paine Field is an important part of our Puget Sound network, giving guests a simpler, more convenient way to access Alaska’s West Coast flying,” Andrew Harrison, Alaska’s senior vice president and chief commercial officer, said in a news release. “As we grow, we’re strengthening our presence across the region with more seats, more frequency, and more convenient travel options for guests in Snohomish County, North Seattle, and beyond.”

Alaska also serves Honolulu, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Santa Ana, and Palm Springs from Paine Field.

Zach Vasile

FAA Clears Plans for Trump Triumphal Arch in D.C.

The monument would be just north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 09:13 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A miniature model of the "Victory Arch" at the White House in 2025. (Credit: Official White House photo by Daniel Torok)

The FAA has determined that a triumphal arch proposed by President Donald Trump would not pose a hazard to aircraft.

The agency said safety experts studied the airspace, traffic patterns, and procedures at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and nearby military and public-use airports as part of its review. The monument would be located less than two miles north of Reagan National. The FAA also noted the site’s proximity to the Pentagon Army Heliport.

In June, the FAA said the arch would need red safety lights, but its final ruling dropped that requirement and proposed the structure be “appropriately marked with a non-standard eternal flame” on top and lit by floodlights “to make it noticeable for pilots.”

It was not clear what the eternal flame might look like, as it was not included in the original plans.

Trump is looking to build the arch in a traffic circle on Memorial Drive between the western end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. While across the Potomac River, Columbia Island, where the monument would be built, is considered part of D.C.

The arch is controversial, as its 250-foot height would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial and come close to rivaling the Capitol Building. A public advocacy group has sued to block construction on the grounds that the project has not been approved by Congress and would break the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington.

Preliminary excavation work at the site is expected to begin this month.

Zach Vasile

Transportation Secretary Pitches Additional $30 Billion for ATC Upgrades

The new ask would bring BNATCs program spending to $42.5 billion, more than $10 billion over initial estimates.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 04:18 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. (Photo: Department of Transportation)

The Trump administration’s plan to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control infrastructure will cost more than initially anticipated.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that the administration will seek an additional $30 billion for the project, on top of $12.5 billion already secured through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law last summer. The DOT initially framed the $12.5 billion as a “down payment” toward a total planned outlay of about $31.5 billion, but it now appears that the federal government will actually need another $30 billion on top of the money already allocated. The new combined figure of $42.5 billion would be more than $10 billion over initial estimates.

Duffy announced the new spending target in a speech before the Aero Club of Washington, according to a report from Reuters. He said the $30 billion would be used to enhance ATC technology, support a common automation platform, upgrade airport terminals, and build new ATC towers.

“If we don’t do it now, when are we going to do it?” Duffy said, according to Aviation International News. “This is a moment in time where we can truly completely revolutionize the systems that we use, the efficiency that we drive, in the NAS. This can change the experience for so many Americans, and it’s a big part of our economy.”

Duffy, the administration’s point man for the modernization project, has frequently reminded reporters and lawmakers that the $12.5 billion approved last year will cover only part of the needed upgrades. His comments Tuesday were the first public sign that the overhaul will cost considerably more than once expected.

The modernization campaign, announced in the spring of 2025 and already underway, will replace outdated infrastructure such as radar, software, hardware, and telecommunications networks. Copper wiring is being replaced with fiber, satellite, and wireless connections, and new digital voice switches, radios, and surveillance systems are being installed at ATC centers and towers.

Industry groups such as the Modern Skies Coalition and the National Business Aviation Association quickly came out in support of Duffy’s remarks, arguing that additional investments will help reduce outages and stabilize the national airspace. The Modern Skies Coalition pointed specifically to Monday’s ATC failure in the Northeast, which canceled and delayed hundreds of flights at New York-JFK, LaGuardia, Philadelphia, and Newark, New Jersey.

“Yesterday’s disruptions to the NAS demonstrate how critical it is to replace the antiquated technology and outdated systems that underpin our nation’s air traffic control infrastructure,” the group said. “The progress made over the past year has shown what is possible when we invest in modernizing the NAS, but there is more work to do.”

Zach Vasile

Turkish Airlines Orders Up to 150 737 MAX Aircraft

The new jets will strengthen the carrier’s short- and medium-haul networks, officials said.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 02:10 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Turkish 737 MAX. (Photo: Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia - Turkish Airlines, TC-LCJ, Boeing 737-8 MAX, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78144499)

Turkish Airlines agreed to purchase 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and secured options for up to 50 more of the type in its largest-ever single-aisle deal with the Virginia-based manufacturer.

Boeing said the airline’s order was finalized this week following discussions that began in 2025. Financial details were not disclosed.

The agreement includes substitution rights for the 737 MAX 10, the largest MAX variant, allowing the carrier to scale up seating capacity if needed.

“This agreement marks another significant step in the continued expansion of our fleet,” Murat Şeker, chairman of the board and the executive committee at Turkish Airlines, said in a statement. “The new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will bring greater efficiency and flexibility to our operations, supporting the extensive network we serve from our hub in Istanbul.”

Turkish Airlines operates a mixed fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Its Boeing subfleet includes the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner, 777, 737 NextGen, and 777F. Last year, the carrier ordered up to 75 more Dreamliners.

Zach Vasile

Breeze Starts Flights at NJ Airport

Two routes are up and running, and two more will come online soon.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 11:52 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Breeze A220 in Phoenix. (AirlineGeeks - William Derrickson)

Breeze this week launched service to and from a new airport in New Jersey.

On Sunday, the low-cost carrier began nonstop service between Trenton, New Jersey, and Charleston, South Carolina, and one-stop service between Trenton and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The route to Fort Lauderdale, branded a “BreezeThru” service, does not require passengers to change aircraft during the stop.

Both connections operate twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays.

Another route from Trenton, to Vero Beach, Florida, will launch Sept. 30. Breeze said flights will initially operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, then switch to Thursdays and Sundays on Jan. 7, 2027.

Nonstop service to Fort Myers, Florida, will commence Jan. 8, 2027.

Breeze first announced plans to serve Trenton back in June as part of a fall and winter expansion. In October, it will bring two more destinations into its network – Baltimore and Dayton, Ohio.

Zach Vasile

Qantas Adds Its First-Ever Nonstop Service to New York

Flights will begin in 2028 as part of Project Sunrise.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 09:16 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Airbus A350-1000ULR. (Photo: Qantas)

After years of planning, Qantas announced late Tuesday that it will launch the first ever nonstop commercial flights between Australia and New York in mid-2028.

The transpacific connection will shave more than three hours off the total travel time between Sydney and New York compared to currently operating one-stop services, Qantas officials said. Tickets will become available for purchase in August 2027.

Nonstop service to New York has been a long-term goal of Qantas’ Project Sunrise, which aims to link cities on Australia’s east coast with far flung destinations in North America and Europe with a single trip. The carrier announced earlier this year that nonstop flights between Sydney and London will begin in October 2027, but it gave no hints about a New York launch until this week.

Qantas currently connects Sydney and New York-JFK with a stop in Auckland.

Operation Sunrise flights will use a modified, extra-long-range variant of Airbus’ A350 known as the A350-1000ULR. Developed in partnership with Qantas, the 238-seat aircraft contains an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank and can fly up to 22 hours nonstop.

The -1000ULR is currently undergoing flight testing in France. Qantas expects to take delivery of the first production -1000ULR in April 2027. The carrier has ordered 12 of the aircraft in total.

Qantas leaders said the new route will help meet rising demand for travel options between Australia and the U.S.

“Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning,” Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a news release. “Reaching New York nonstop completes a vision we set out many years ago, and it’s a moment of enormous pride for the thousands of our people who have been working hard to make Project Sunrise a reality.”

Qantas announced Project Sunrise in 2017. It weighed competing proposals for ultra-long-range aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus before settling on a modified version of the A350. Boeing had offered its 777-8 as the basis for an extended-range model.

Zach Vasile

British Airways to Expand U.S. Route in 2027

The carrier will switch to daily service for parts of the summer.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 03:45 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

British Airways is adding frequencies on a U.S. route it launched three years ago.

Starting March 28, 2027, the carrier will operate six flights per week between London Heathrow and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. That cadence will increase to daily service between April 22 and June 24 and again between Sept. 9 and Oct. 28.

British Airways normally operates its London-Cincinnati connection five times weekly during the summer and four times weekly in the winter.

“We’re pleased to be expanding our Cincinnati service to London Heathrow for summer 2027 and are grateful to the airport team, the business development community, and tourism partners for their continued support,” Neil Chernoff, the airline’s chief planning and strategy officer, said in a news release. “With daily flights available for more than four months of the season, customers will benefit from greater choice and flexibility when planning their travel.”

British Airways launched service to Cincinnati in June 2023. It operates the transatlantic route using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The carrier last week rolled out a considerably expanded schedule for the summer of 2027 but did not mention the new flights to Cincinnati until Tuesday. As part of that expansion, service between Heathrow and Las Vegas will grow from 13 flights per week to 14 flights per week.

Zach Vasile

American Named ‘Primary Carrier’ for New Phoenix Terminal

The facility will add gates for international flights.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 01:38 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American 777-200 in Phoenix. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American Airlines will be the anchor tenant at the planned West Terminal at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, city and airport officials announced Monday.

Phoenix’s Aviation Department said it selected American after months of careful analysis. The carrier currently operates from Terminal 4.

First announced two years ago, the West Terminal will add capacity mainly for international flights. The airport’s leaders have said they envision the terminal as Phoenix’s “front door” for growing international traffic. It will also be the first new terminal at Phoenix since Terminal 4 opened in 1990.

The facility is still in its planning stages; no designs have been released, and the terminal’s exact number of gates is still being worked out.

American is already the largest airline at Phoenix by passenger traffic, accounting for over 40%.

“Phoenix is a critical part of American’s network and we’re excited to continue to invest in the airport and this region’s future,” American CEO Robert Isom said in a news release. “We are proud to partner with the City of Phoenix and Sky Harbor on a vision that will support continued growth, create jobs, strengthen global connectivity, and deliver an even better experience for our customers with much-needed new premium spaces.”

Airport officials said a procurement process for the West Terminal is expected to begin next year. Construction could potentially begin in late 2029, they added, with an opening in late 2033.

The project will be funded with passenger facility charges, bonds, and airport funding; no local tax dollars will be used.

Zach Vasile