What’s in a name? For travelers flying from Houston to Cape Town, Turkish Airlines might not be the obvious choice, yet it’s a popular option. Washington, D.C., to Auckland often brings Air New Zealand to mind. But travelers can also choose Asiana Airlines with a transfer through Seoul, South Korea.
For many who don’t live near an airport offering direct long-haul flights, global carriers provide practical alternatives: remain within an alliance to earn miles, enjoy high-quality service, and connect smoothly through modern hub airports.
“Haul out a map. Most of these airlines’ global hubs are four to five hours away from 60 percent of the world,” says Bill Maloney, a marketing consultant to the travel industry. “The Gulf carriers have relied on long-haul travel to increase their customer base for years. Now many airlines with major hubs outside the United States are adding U.S. cities as spokes to build an entire transportation network.”
Michael O’Day, manager of marketing and global partnerships at Ethiopian Airlines, estimates that 60 to 70 percent of traffic through Addis Ababa Bole Airport is transit passengers. “With Addis’ location in central Africa; a young fleet of Boeing 777-300s and 787s; membership in Star Alliance; and service to not only 49 African destinations but also Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai, Ethiopian has become the fastest-growing African airline,” he says.
Avianca, often seen as a Colombian airline, expanded significantly after acquiring TACA and now offers extensive connections throughout Central and South America. For example, it provides a fast route between New York or Dulles and Managua, Nicaragua, via San Salvador, avoiding longer connections through Houston or Miami. Similarly, China Airlines offers convenient connections to the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and destinations such as Auckland and Christchurch through Taipei. Travelers have also used carriers like airberlin to connect through European hubs and credit flights to American frequent-flyer programs.
A key factor in choosing indirect routes is airport convenience. Pilot and author Patrick Smith prefers Asiana Airlines and Korean Air for their transfers at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport. “You can even take a free tour from the airport in Seoul, and they’ll get you back in time for your flight,” he notes.
With service to many U.S. cities across the East and West coasts, Air Canada is an attractive option for long-haul travel from secondary U.S. markets. Its main Canadian hubs—Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver—offer efficient connections to Asia and beyond.
Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO of Global Traveler, recommends Air Canada for travelers who don’t live near airports with direct long-haul service. “If you have to transfer through an airport in the United States to connect to your flight to Asia, Canada might be a better option,” he says.
While staying within a frequent-flyer alliance is a primary reason to choose an alternative carrier, travelers are often attracted by the chance to stop and explore a layover city. Eric Ludwig, a member of Global Traveler’s Globility Board, wanted to visit a friend in Amman, Jordan, and found a route on Austrian Airlines through Vienna. The itinerary allowed him to earn Star Alliance miles and add a romantic stop in Vienna with his wife. After visiting Jordan, they enjoyed a 16-hour layover in Vienna to stroll along the Danube and visit a Christmas market—turning one trip into two vacations.
Jonathan Weber, founder of Marathon Studios, chooses Turkish Airlines from New York to İstanbul and onward to Eastern Europe or the Middle East because it can be less expensive and offers the chance to spend a few days in Turkey. “When traveling on business, I’m getting paid to spend time learning more about a fascinating part of the world,” he says.
Airlines are encouraging passengers to explore hub cities during layovers. İstanbul is emerging as a major connecting point and is on track to become one of Europe’s busiest airports. Turkish Airlines offers Touristanbul, a free layover excursion available several times a day for qualifying passengers, which helps make a stopover an attractive part of the journey.
An Etihad Airways flight prepares for takeoff in İstanbul. © Alpiee | Dreamstime.com
Etihad Airways promotes its Essential Abu Dhabi Stopover, which can include a complimentary first night in a luxury hotel when passengers stay a minimum of two nights, along with discounted rates for additional nights. The program also offers two-for-one deals on city tours and activities such as a half-day desert safari or admission to major attractions. Often the fare difference is minimal for travelers who build a two-day stop into their itinerary.
American travelers are discovering that the most convenient schedule or least obvious route can be the best option. Korean Air, part of SkyTeam, operates a Boeing 777 non-stop from Los Angeles to São Paulo, providing direct connections between the western United States and South America as well as onward routes to many Asian destinations. Premium cabins on such routes offer full-flat business-class seats and private first-class suites for maximum comfort.
Beginning in June, Ethiopian Airlines will operate the only non-stop service from Los Angeles to Dublin using a Boeing 787. Although Dublin serves as a refueling stop en route to Addis Ababa, the airline is promoting two- and three-day stopovers in Ireland as well as point-to-point travel to Dublin alone. Travel agents and tour operators have already shown strong interest in the route.
Industry experts expect substantial growth in new direct and indirect long-haul routes serving the United States. “These days, an airline that wants to grow needs to add spokes to its hub, and the United States has a lot of airports seeking additional service,” says Maloney. With access to billions of potential travelers within a 10-hour flying radius, carriers like Ethiopian plan to add more destinations across the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East in the coming years.
When planning long-haul travel, Maloney advises thinking beyond the obvious: consider all your options, compare connections such as London versus Abu Dhabi, factor in mileage earning and onboard service, and evaluate stopover opportunities. Review the top two or three carriers in your alliance, study their route maps, and you may find routes that surprise you.