Air Canada, United, Korean Air, Delta Air Lines and Qantas are moving into a fresh wave of long-haul route launches designed to test demand in thin or less-proven markets. The services include new or planned links between San Francisco and Sapporo, Vancouver and Sapporo, Seoul and Melbourne, Atlanta and Riyadh, and Sydney and Las Vegas, with some departures scheduled to begin in December 2026.
United and Air Canada are both adding three-times-weekly Sapporo service, creating new North America access to Hokkaido for winter traffic. Korean Air is preparing seasonal Melbourne flights, while Delta is opening a nonstop US service to Riyadh. Qantas is adding Sydney–Las Vegas, targeting a leisure-heavy market that can support premium-cabin and holiday demand.
The route choices show carriers placing widebody aircraft into markets where the commercial case depends on whether long-haul demand can sustain year-round or seasonal service. The pattern also reflects a wider industry push to widen network reach without committing capacity to the strongest legacy trunk routes.
For network planners, the launches offer a near-simultaneous test of different demand profiles across Asia, the Middle East, North America and Australia. They also highlight how airlines are using seasonal timing and limited frequencies to manage risk while exploring longer-haul growth opportunities.