New transatlantic routes: a quick summary

The ongoing international route expansion by major airlines will get a big boost this year with the implementation of the new U.S.-European Union “Open Skies” agreement, which lifts previous bilateral restrictions on airline flights between the two regions – including a longstanding provision between the U.S. and U.K. that limited London Heathrow access to just two U.S. carriers, American and United. In any case, airlines are planning scads of new routes and schedule adjustments for transatlantic travel starting this spring. Here’s a summary of the changes announced thus far, to Europe and elsewhere.

ATLANTA (ATL). On March 29, Delta began one daily roundtrip between Atlanta and London Heathrow. On June 3, Delta began service six times a week between Atlanta and Stockholm.

BOSTON (BOS). In mid-May, Iberia Airlines increased frequencies on its Boston-Madrid route from three flights a week to daily service. On June 27, Italy's Air One plans to begin Boston-Milan Malpensa flights five times a week.

CHICAGO O’HARE (ORD). On June 2, American Airlines kicked off new non-stop service six days a week between Chicago O’Hare and Moscow. On June 26, Italy's Air One began Chicago-Milan Malpensa service, with six weekly flights.

CLEVELAND (CLE). Effective May 22, Continental began seasonal non-stop 757 service between Cleveland and Paris CDG.

DALLAS/FT. WORTH (DFW). American Airlines on March 29 shifted one of its two daily DFW-London flights from London Gatwick to London Heathrow -- and on April 13, it shifted the second daily DFW-London flight to Heathrow as well. On March 30, KLM began daily non-stops between DFW and Amsterdam. Also on March 30, British Airways moved its daily DFW-London Gatwick flight to London Heathrow instead.

DENVER (DEN). United Airlines launched new daily non-stops March 30 between Denver and London Heathrow.

DETROIT (DTW). Northwest Airlines supplemented its existing Detroit-London Gatwick service with a new daily non-stop between Detroit and London Heathrow starting May 1. British Airways suspended its Detroit-London Heathrow flights effective March 30.


FT. LAUDERDALE (FLL). British low-cost carrier Zoom Airlines on May 22 began flying twice a week between Ft. Lauderdale and London Gatwick.

HOUSTON BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL (IAH). Singapore Airlines began four flights a week on March 20 from Houston to Moscow, continuing on to Singapore. Continental started twice-daily service March 29 from Houston to London Heathrow. On March 30, British Airways’ two daily Houston-London flights shifted from Gatwick to London Heathrow.

LOS ANGELES (LAX). Air France began daily non-stops March 30 between LAX and London Heathrow. The fights are code-shared with Delta. On June 1, Alitalia launched non-stop 777 service five times a week between LAX and Rome's Fiumicino Airport.

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (MSP). Northwest Airlines kicked off new daily non-stops between MSP and London Heathrow on March 29. On April 8, Northwest began daily MSP-Paris service with joint venture partner KLM.

NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). Delta added twice-daily service beginning March 29 between JFK and London Heathrow; five flights a week between JFK and Paris Orly started June 2 (increasing to daily in July), and daily flights between JFK-Lyon, France began June 3. Other new Delta non-stop transatlantic routes include JFK-Tel Aviv (started March 10); JFK-Edinburgh May 1; JFK-Dakar, Senegal (continuing to Nairobi) December 8; JFK-Cairo June 4; JFK-Malaga, Spain June 4; JFK-Amman, Jordan June 5. American Airlines on May 1 began new daily non-stops between JFK-Barcelona and JFK-Milan.

NEWARK (EWR). Continental began twice-daily flights March 29 between its Newark hub and London Heathrow.

PHILADELPHIA (PHL). US Airways on March 29 started daily service between Philadelphia and London Heathrow.

PORTLAND, Ore. (PDX). Northwest Airlines on March 29 began daily non-stops between Portland and Amsterdam Schiphol.

RALEIGH/DURHAM (RDU). American Airlines on March 28 shifted its RDU-London flights from London Gatwick to London Heathrow.

SALT LAKE CITY (SLC). On June 2, Delta began daily non-stops between its Salt Lake City hub and Paris.


SAN DIEGO (SAN). Zoom Airlines, a low-cost U.K.-based carrier, started flying between San Diego and London Gatwick twice a week on June 20.


SEATTLE (SEA). On June 1, Northwest Airlines began daily non-stop service between Seattle and London Heathrow. On March 30, Lufthansa introduced daily non-stops between Seattle and Frankfurt.

WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD). In mid-May, Iberia Airlines boosted service on its Washington-Madrid route from three flights a week to five.