February Dispatches
Southwest red-eyes, United to Nuuk, the A321XLR and more
Notes from the Runway
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there are few things better than lacing up ones shoes and exploring a new place on a run. Even better if its with friends. That’s what I did recently at the Routes Americas conference in Nassau, Bahamas. On an early run, three of us departed Paradise Island (too manufactured and manicured for my tastes) and crossed the bridges to the main island to explore its streets and hidden corners. Our run took us to Fort Montague where we caught the sunrise over the Caribbean Sea.
Words
Looking for trip ideas for 2025? Airlines are set to launch more than 600 new routes to, from or within the U.S. this year, Cirium Diio schedule data shows. From Southwest red-eyes to United to Greenland and Alaska to Asia, here are seven new routes worth checking out this year. (The Washington Post)
The A321XLR is the latest evolution to Airbus’ highly successful A321neo platform. Airlines are eager to get the planes in their fleets and stretch their legs on longer, thinner routes — even if its capabilities are not necessarily everything the planemaker initially promised. (CNN Travel)
Flying in the U.S. on Jan. 21, 2025, was like any other day — a testament to the peaceful transition of power from President Joseph Biden to Donal Trump. But that’s where the similarities end. What the second Trump administration could mean for aviation. (Business Traveler)
American Airlines posted a modest profit in 2024 but investors did not take kindly to its current outlook for 2025. Still, there are some needed upgrades coming this year. (The Points Guy)
Speaking of American, nonstops from DFW to Asia are booming. "It's the power of the DFW hub," the airline’s network head Brian Znotins told me. (The Points Guy)
JetBlue is going through "immense change," CEO Joanna Geraghty said in January, "and feedback from our customers has been positive." Lounges, first class, maybe a new domestic partnership — the changes are coming hot and heavy. (The Points Guy)
Dispatches from Routes Americas: AAdvantage redemptions on South America’s JetSmart should start this year. Bahamasair is considering an order for new Airbus A220s. (The Points Guy)
Plus, Lufthansa will fly an A380 to Denver. Alaska and Delta are making moves in the state of Alaska. New York has a new nonstop to Puglia. And lots of new red-eyes and Florida routes are coming in February. (The Points Guy, Travel + Leisure)
What I’m Reading
America is as polarized as ever today. We live in different neighborhoods. Get our news from different sources. One Fairfax County resident hopes to bridge that divide by getting people from different sides of the aisle to sit down and break bread together for regular BreadBreakers dinners. A good read from
at , and sadly one of his last for now as the Machine goes into sleep mode. raised some good questions about inflight dining partnerships in a recent post. I, for one, am highly skeptical of the pacts like the one Delta has formed with Shake Shack for the simple reason that I like Shake Shack’s burgers, but not their sauce. Unless the airline can tailor the burgers to a flier’s unique tastes, this feels like a gimmick.JetBlue now accepts Venmo payments (though there consumer protection questions linger) but I still consider a plane ticket a laptop purchase,
.I really love this new piece of art using upcycled luggage (see picture at top) at Denver International Airport.
The Lima Airport is about to get what looks like a nice (and needed) new terminal but the country’s political turbulence means the facility will open without a new access road. And a subway station named ‘Airport’ is — I kid you not — miles from the new terminal adjacent to the old, soon-to-be-decommissioned old terminal.
Wildfires devastated parts of Los Angeles last month. Critical to fighting them were the aerial firefighters who dropped tens-of-thousands of gallons of water and retardant on the fires. Outside spoke to a few of the firefighters flying those planes about their tough jobs that were made even more difficult by the Santa Ana winds and and Los Angeles’ varied topography.
The Amtrak origin story from
.How is Colorado selling residents on its plan for a new passenger train connecting Denver and Steamboat Springs? First, pump up demand for the Winter Park Express by adding frequency and dropping fares. Towns along the corridor are already clamoring for service that won’t start before 2026, and then only to Granby.
Skiing is expensive, particularly in the U.S. where corporations (and their all-access passes) have come to dominate the industry. Enter a group of Oregonians who want to buy their local ski resort, Mt. Bachelor, and keep it, well, local. “The fight for Mt. Bachelor is about the desire to capture something cherished and put it back in the hands of the people who love it most.”
What I’m Listening to
I’m joining the chorus of people hat tipping the podcast Opposing Bases for its excellent episode on American flight AA5342. The hosts, both air traffic controllers and former pilots, discuss the complexities of the airspace over Washington and around DCA.
