Airlines will launch new strategies next year to compete for passengers

As the airline industry adapts to the post-pandemic landscape, significant changes are on the horizon for 2025, including new long-haul routes, refreshed cabin designs, free Wi-Fi, and a focus on traditional culinary experiences. Although these enhancements may come at a cost to travelers, they promise to improve the overall flying experience.

According to a report from Forbes, United Airlines plans to introduce a range of new routes starting in 2025, with destinations including Nuuk in Greenland, Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, Kaohsiung in Taiwan, Dakar in Senegal, Palermo in Italy, Bilbao in Spain, and both Madeira and Faro in Portugal. Most of these new flights will operate daily, with some seasonal or weekly options. Additionally, United is expanding its offerings with new routes from New York to the Dominican Republic, Tokyo/Narita to Palau, and Washington to Nice and Venice. This marks the first time a U.S. airline will fly to Greenland and Mongolia, with United Airlines being the only carrier currently flying to Palau.

American Airlines is also set to expand its long-haul European flights from several key cities in 2025, including a new route from Charlotte to Athens—its longest from that city—along with flights from Chicago to Madrid (replacing an Iberia route) and Miami to Rome.

Delta Air Lines is ramping up its long-haul services as well, adding routes from Atlanta to Naples, Boston to Barcelona and Milan, Detroit to Dublin, Minneapolis/St. Paul to Rome, New York to Catania in Italy, and Salt Lake City to Seoul.

Beyond enhancing route options, airlines are investing in soft product improvements to elevate the passenger experience. Later this fall, Delta plans to debut new cabin interiors for its Boeing 757 fleet, with Airbus A350 interiors scheduled for a refresh in early next year. These upgrades will introduce new seat materials and adaptive lighting throughout the flight. All premium cabin seats, both wide-body and narrow-body, will feature memory foam cushions, while the “Delta One” and first-class seats will showcase a new breathable wool-nylon blend fabric. Iconic Delta branding elements, such as well-designed fixtures, will be integrated throughout the cabin. Future maintenance of their fleet will ensure these aircraft remain in top-notch condition.

In terms of dining, top-tier AAdvantage members can now redeem miles (24,000 for Platinum Pro members and 20,000 for Executive Platinum members) for access passes to flagship restaurants at the Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami lounges. New Zealand Airlines has refreshed its North American business class menu with “Aotearoa Cuisine,” which will debut next week on its North American routes, featuring local New Zealand ingredients and flavors.

Turkish Airlines is enhancing its business class on intercontinental flights by adding the world’s “oldest bread,” crafted from single-grain and two-grain wheat, served with butter and olive oil.