JetBlue to Launch Its First-Ever Service to Venezuela

The carrier is aiming to have the route up and running by the end of the year.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 01:01 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A JetBlue A320. (Photo: Shutterstock | CarterAerial)

JetBlue announced Thursday that it will launch nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Caracas, Venezuela – its first-ever connection to the South American country.

The New York-based carrier did not provide an exact start date, saying only that it plans to have flights operating “before the end of the year.” Tickets are expected to become available for purchase “in the coming months.”

JetBlue said it will operate the route using Airbus A320 aircraft.

“Fort Lauderdale continues to serve as JetBlue’s gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, and we believe there is meaningful opportunity to expand our presence in the region with planned service to Caracas,” Dave Jehn, JetBlue’s vice president for network planning and airline partnerships, said in a news release. “South Florida is home to a large Venezuelan community, and this new route would help connect families and loved ones with JetBlue’s competitive fares and award-winning service.”

The airline noted that the service remains subject to government approval.

The U.S. Department of Transportation dropped its ban on passenger and cargo flights to and from Venezuela in January following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now in custody in New York and facing drug trafficking charges.

American was the first U.S. airline to return to the country; its Miami-Caracas service started April 30.

United has said it will reconnect Houston and Caracas in early August.

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.

Qatar Airways Debuts World Cup-Themed Livery

The specially painted Boeing 777 will operate in Europe, the U.S., and Asia before and during the tournament.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 11:45 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Qatar Airways' new FIFA livery. (Photo: Qatar Airways)

Qatar Airways this week unveiled a special livery celebrating its partnership with FIFA and the upcoming World Cup.

Recently applied to a Boeing 777, the design fades the carrier’s signature burgundy into blue in the rear third of the aircraft’s fuselage and tail assembly. FIFA’s logo appears in white, next to an illustration of the gold World Cup trophy.

The theme extends to the jet’s interior, with “bespoke cabin dressing” inspired by the World Cup, officials said.

Qatar Airways’ new FIFA livery. (Photo: Qatar Airways)

Qatar Airways is FIFA’s official airline partner, a collaboration dating back to 2017. The partnership will extend until at least 2030.

The freshly painted 777 is scheduled to operate across Europe, the U.S., and Asia before and during the tournament.

The World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19. Matches will be held in cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Over one million international visitors are expected, and total attendance across all venues has been estimated at about 5 million.

Zach Vasile

Delta Adds New West Coast Destination

Partner SkyWest will operate two Delta Connection flights per day.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 10:25 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A SkyWest E175 operating for Delta Connection. (Photo: Shutterstock | Wenjie Zheng)

Delta is adding a new California city to its domestic route network.

Starting Oct. 6, the carrier will connect Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa with Salt Lake City.

Sonoma County officials said Delta will “initially” offer twice daily Delta Connection flights via SkyWest, using Embraer E175 aircraft. The county did not say if the service could eventually be expanded.

Delta confirmed the new service in a statement to the North Bay Business Journal.

“Delta is committed to connecting customers to top leisure destinations, and Sonoma County is one of California’s most coveted travel experiences,” a Delta spokesperson said. “We look forward to welcoming customers onboard as we make our debut in Sonoma County this fall with new nonstop service to Salt Lake City.”

Delta currently serves three airports in the Bay Area – San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose – but does not have a connection to the North Bay.

Tickets for the Santa Rosa-Salt Lake City route will become available for purchase on Saturday.

Sonoma County Airport is served by American Airlines, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines. Southwest began operations there in April.

Zach Vasile

Boeing CEO: Company Cleared to Increase 737 MAX Production

Kelly Ortberg said output will ramp up over the next few months.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 01:40 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Boeing 737 MAX in Renton, Washington. (Photo: Shutterstock | Stephen Mark Dunmore)

Boeing has won approval from the FAA to ramp up production of the 737 MAX.

Speaking at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York on Wednesday, CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company will up production of the narrowbody type from 42 to 47 per month.

“We just recently had our capstone review with the FAA – new news here – we passed the capstone review for rate 47,” Ortberg said. “So we are now in the process of running the line at the 47-a-month rate. It will probably take us a few months of stabilization there… My guess is we’ll continue to go up in rate, it may take a little bit longer, but we’re off and rolling now for the 47-a-month rate and we should be there in the next couple of months.”

Boeing’s next goal for the 737 MAX is to reach 52 airplanes per month, but that will require the activation of the company’s fourth MAX production line in Everett, Washington. The line will supplement three existing lines in nearby Renton.

Ortberg said Boeing is currently hiring workers for the Everett line and will soon move an aircraft through the plant to qualify the production system.

Asked if the manufacturer could again turn out 57 737 MAX jets per month from Renton alone – the rate prior to the type’s temporary grounding in 2019 – Ortberg said that pace is probably not sustainable for Renton given changes to the company’s safety and quality processes.

The goal, he said, is “stable production,” not rushing to deliver airplanes.

In the long term, Boeing is looking to reach 63 MAX aircraft per month as additional capacity comes online.

China Order

Asked about his recent trip to China with President Donald Trump and a subsequent order from Beijing for 200 aircraft – well below Wall Street expectations of around 500 – Ortberg said the visit was in fact “super successful” because it helped restore the company’s relationship with the Chinese government.

“My primary objective was to reopen that market to our narrowbody airplanes,” he said. “As you know we hadn’t had an order in nearly a decade, and we accomplished that, which is a major, major accomplishment. And I think people focus a little bit too much on the initial quantity. This is opening the market. They need well over 500 aircraft a year to support their GDP growth, so there’s a great market opportunity for us.”

While the Chinese government has given Boeing a commitment, the company will still need to meet with individual Chinese airlines to determine their aircraft needs, Ortberg said. Once that process has been completed, the commitment will “turn into” an order, he added, and the sale will be added to Boeing’s books.

Zach Vasile

American Adds New Route at Regional Airport

Service will commence in October.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 11:50 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American CRJ-900. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

American Airlines is expanding service at a regional airport in central Pennsylvania.

Starting Oct. 5, the carrier will connect State College Regional Airport with Charlotte, North Carolina. Flights will operate twice daily.

The new route was announced Tuesday by the State College Air Service Alliance, a partnership that works to improve air service in Centre County.

“American is always looking to make it easier for our customers to explore the world and our new service between Charlotte and State College will do just that,” Jordan Pack, American’s director of domestic network planning, said in a statement. “Our hub in Charlotte is among the largest in the world with flights to more than 170 destinations, including 17 destinations in Florida alone. We’re thankful for the support of the community in State College as we look forward to launching this service in the fall.”

State College Regional Airport is located in Benner Township, close to State College and Pennsylvania State University’s primary campus. Historically, ownership of the airport was split between the university and the Centre County Airport Authority, but earlier this year Penn State leaders approved a plan to transfer full control to the CCAA.

The FAA is reviewing the deal and must sign off before the university can officially relinquish its share of the facility.

American currently connects State College with Philadelphia.

United also serves the airport, with flights to Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare.

The State College Air Service Alliance said it has been advocating for connections to Charlotte, various destinations in Florida, and Detroit in recent discussions with major airlines. The organization estimates that about 87% of regional traveler volume is “lost” to other airports, such as Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Baltimore/Washington.

Zach Vasile

Delta Extends Pause on Tel Aviv Connection

But a different route to Israel will resume in late summer.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 10:30 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta Airbus A330-900 at Tokyo Haneda Airport in Japan. (Photo: Shutterstock | Markus Mainka)

Delta is once again extending its pause on flying between Atlanta and Tel Aviv.

The connection has been suspended through Dec. 18, officials said late last week. Customers have already received cancellation notices through the Delta app and the contact information listed on their reservation.

The Atlanta-Tel Aviv route was supposed to restart for the season on April 15, but this became impossible after fighting between the U.S., Israel, and Iran forced the near shutdown of Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international gateway.

Flights from Atlanta were initially postponed until early August, but in subsequent notices the carrier extended that pause to September, then late November, citing the unstable situation in the region.

However, Delta still plans to resume service between New York-JFK and Tel Aviv on Sept. 6, a date it first announced back in March. The airline has held to that date even while continuing to push back flights from Atlanta and a planned connection from Boston, which is now “delayed until further notice.”

Ben Gurion has been operating at full capacity since early April, when the U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire.

Zach Vasile

Qantas’ Ultra-Long-Haul ‘Project Sunrise’ A350s Face Delays

Deliveries were pushed back to 2027.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 04:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

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

Qantas will have to wait until early 2027 to take delivery of its first ultra-long-range Airbus A350.

Airbus said Monday that its delivery window for the variant – developed specifically for Qantas’ “Project Sunrise” campaign – had slipped from late this year to April 2027 due to supply chain issues. No further details were provided.

Qantas had expected to take delivery of its first of 12 A350-1000ULRs in 2026 and bring the type into commercial service by mid-2027. In a separate statement, Qantas acknowledged the delay but said it will continue to work closely with Airbus to test and certify the aircraft.

Qantas’ Project Sunrise aims to connect the east coast of Australia with far-flung destinations around the world with a single flight. The first commercial Project Sunrise flights will link Sydney with New York and London, routes which currently require one or more stops along the way.

The ultra-long-range A350 will be able to fly for 22 continuous hours, made possible by an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank and enhanced operating systems.

Qantas and Airbus appeared to be making good progress toward the aircraft’s certification and eventual delivery earlier this year. In April, Qantas said that its first production -1000ULR had its engines installed at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse, France. The carrier shared photos and video of the jet on social media, sporting a temporary livery that read “Our Spirit flies further” and “Project Sunrise.”

At the time, Qantas still expected deliveries to begin in late 2026.

Zach Vasile

Porter Begins Service to New U.S. Destination

Flights will operate five times weekly year-round.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 02:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Porter E195-E2. (Photo: Shutterstock | The Global Guy)

Canada’s Porter Airlines on Thursday launched nonstop service to Austin, Texas, its first destination in the Lone Star State.

Flights between Austin and Toronto Pearson will operate five times weekly, year-round, using Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

Porter first announced the new connection in February.

“Austin is one of North America’s most dynamic and fastest-growing cities, making it an ideal fit for Porter’s own growing network of flights,” Porter President Kevin Jackson said in a news release. “This route opens exciting new opportunities for business, tourism, and cultural exchange between the two vibrant cities.”

Porter serves 17 cities in the U.S., including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami.

Cayman Airways Connection at Austin

Another international airline, Cayman Airways, launched service to Austin on Sunday.

Flights will operate once per week, on Sundays, through Aug. 16. Officials said the route is Cayman Airways’ only nonstop connection to Texas.

The airline operates from Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman.

Zach Vasile

Saudia Takes Delivery of Its First A321XLR

The Saudi flag carrier will be the first operator of the type in the Middle East.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 01:15 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Saudia's first A321XLR. (Photo: Airbus)

Saudia on Sunday became the first airline in the Middle East to take delivery of the Airbus A321XLR.

Officials said the aircraft will give Saudia the flexibility to operate longer international routes. The Saudi flag carrier expects to add a total of 15 -XLRs to its fleet by 2027.

“The delivery of the A321XLR reflects the momentum of Saudia’s ongoing transformation,” Saudia Group Director General Ibrahim Al-Omar said in a news release. “As we continue to grow our fleet, our focus is not only on adding capacity, but on investing in aircraft, products, and capabilities that strengthen Saudia’s competitiveness and support the kingdom’s aviation ambitions.”

Saudia’s A321XLRs will be configured with 24 business class seats and 120 “guest class” seats.

Currently, the Jeddah-based airline serves destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, South and East Asia, and North America.

Saudia officials have not said what new routes the A321XLR could operate. In a statement from 2023, the carrier said the type could be used to connect existing destinations such as Rome, Barcelona, Milan, and the Maldives.

Zach Vasile

American Selects Starlink for In-Flight Wi-Fi

The carrier will begin installations on narrowbody aircraft in 2027.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American A321neo. (Photo: Shutterstock | Robin Guess)

American Airlines on Tuesday became the latest air carrier to partner with SpaceX’s Starlink for in-flight wireless internet service.

American said it will install Starlink antennas on 500 narrowbody aircraft starting in the first quarter of 2027. That total includes newly arriving Airbus A321XLRs and A321neos.

“American is committed to elevating every aspect of our customers’ travel journeys, which in the air means keeping them connected and comfortable with the assurance they won’t have to download documents ahead of a flight or worry about lag time,” American Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said in a news release. “Starlink’s high speed and low latency make the Wi-Fi more reliable, which matters when customers are trying to load pages, join real-time collaboration tools, or stay connected consistently throughout a flight.”

Starlink uses a constellation of thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide high-speed internet to subscribers. The service allows airline passengers to browse, shop, work, game, and stream content much as they would at home.

American did not say if or when its widebody aircraft will be connected.

Over two dozen airlines have signed contracts with Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi, including United, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Emirates, British Airways, and Qatar Airways.

Delta has partnered with Starlink competitor Amazon Leo.

Zach Vasile