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What's Up with Star Alliance in 2013

As we mentioned yesterday, there has been quite a shake-up in the world of aviation lately, all of which is leaving some airline alliances bidding fond adieu to some airlines while welcoming others with open arms. Let's take a look at what 2013 has in store for Star Alliance, and what effects it might have on your own travel.

The world's first and largest airline alliance is set to lose at least two airlines this year with US Airways and TAM leaving after the mergers discussed yesterday, both of which see them switching to Oneworld. This leaves smaller carriers like Avianca, TACA and Copa Airlines to pick up the slack in South America.

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Copa, Spirit Airlines and Frontier are Ready for Plenty of New Routes

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Copa Airlines:
For those who call Boston home—or can get to the airport easily—there’s some big new route news this week thanks our buddies over at Copa Airlines. They’re getting ready to fill up the tanks on one of the area’s first nonstop flights into Latin America, as the plan is to connect Boston with Panama City—that’s Tocumen International Airport to be specific. It sounds like July 10 will be the first day that things start heading back and forth, as Boeing 737s will do their best to zip through the air during the five and a half hour flight. With connections available in Panama to pretty much anywhere in the region, this is some good new route news.

· easyJet:
If you’re thinking about flying into Russia, it’s unlikely that the first carrier that comes to mind is easyJet. However, you better readjust your expectations, as they’re the latest carrier planning to head to and from Moscow-Domodedovo. The low cost carrier is doing their thing between London-Gatwick and Moscow beginning on March 18, and the tickets recently went up for sale. Starting off the flights will be a daily option, but after a month or so things will be bumped up to a couple times per day. We checked out prices through their site, and we saw some one-ways for as little as $86—nice.

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Icelandair, Alaska Airlines and Dragonair Fly Out Some New Routes

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Alaska Airlines:
We might have mentioned this one in the past, but now it’s time to finally start flying. Alaska Airlines is now ready to start the newest nonstop flights between San Diego and Orlando. We’re not sure if the “salmon-thirty-salmon” will be an option between the two cities, but we do know that flights will run back and forth on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The timings of the flights mean red-eyes over to the east coast, and 8am departures back to California. To celebrate the new city pair they’re even offering up double frequent flyer miles between the two cities, but just ensure that you register for the promotion before booking and flying.

· Copa Airlines:
If you’re looking to head somewhere warm and sunny just check out the latest option available from Copa Airlines. They are increasing the number of flights available between their hub over in Panama and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

The flights over to Jamaica will start running four times per week beginning around December 17, and it sounds like the flights will do their thing on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. It’ll be Boeing 737s completing all the flying fun between the two cities—and two countries—just so you know.

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United, WestJet and Copa Airlines Plan New Routes to Here and There

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· WestJet:
If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out what WestJet has to offer, this may change in 2012 as they bring new flights down to the nifty fifty. Of course they already have cheap flights to here, there, and everywhere in and around Canada, but now they're prepping to take on New York-LaGuardia.

Live, in-flight television will be yours to enjoy on seven new nonstop flights between NYC-LaGuardia and Toronto beginning June 4. A couple weeks later they’ll be boosting the flight frequency up to eight flights, so they definitely mean business when it comes to serving the flying public between New York City and Toronto. They even just launched a codeshare deal with Delta, so you can continue on aboard Delta until your final destination.

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More Seats, More Planes, More Routes from Air France, Hawaiian and Others

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Air France:
For those planning a trip to Paris next summer things just got little easier thanks to the pilots and crew over at Air France. Sure the carrier already flies from Los Angeles to Paris, but now they’re switching things up and using the A380 to link LAX with CDG.

Your winter plans won’t be getting the upgrade, as the plane swap is supposed to start beginning next May. Obviously a lot of stuff can change between now and early next year, but if you’re already looking to pick a flight try your best to score a ride with the big bird—it'll be number four at LAX in case you’re counting.

· Japan Airlines:
Apparently checking out the northern lights can cause quite a boost in tourism, so Japan Airlines is adding some more flights to and from Alaska this winter. They'redesigned for those looking to head into Alaska, but the planes also head back to Japan—just in case you need a little Tokyo. The airline is bumping up service between Japan and the United States from cities like Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Tokyo, and it’s all in hopes of checking out that elusive Aurora Borealis. We’re sure the souvenir shops are already ordering extra goodies in advance of the tourist invasion.

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New Routes Arrive This Week from American Airlines, Copa, and Spirit

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Copa Airlines:
If you want to head down to Panama, look no further than Copa Airlines. They’re adding their very first nonstop option in the country’s Midwest beginning later this year, sending planes back and forth between Chicago-O’Hare and Panama City. The new flights are set to debut on December 15, and Boeing 737s will link the two spots daily. Even if your final destinations isn’t Panama—this is still a good thing—as you can get to plenty of spots in the Caribbean and South America once you reach their hub in Panama City.

· Delta:
Over at Dunder Mifflin International Airport—or as it’s really called, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport—there’s a new route just in time to welcome a new head honcho at the paper company. Delta will be starting up nonstop service between the airport here and the airport in Atlanta beginning at the start of September. There used be daily options to Atlanta, but these flights were stopped back in 2009. Hopefully the promise of Dunder Mifflin souvenirs in the airport gift shop will keep flyers heading back and forth between the two cities.

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Plenty of New Routes This Week From Copa, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and More

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Lufthansa:
We can’t resist the Airbus A380, and still we get excited every time we hear that it’s heading somewhere new. Well Lufthansa is the latest airline to throw its weight around with the big bird. The largest commercial plane in the sky is planning to start up service between San Francisco and Frankfurt beginning this May. In Lufthansa’s configuration, there is room for about 526 passengers, so upon arrival just be prepared to stand in the line for immigration for quite a long time.

· Virgin America:
This is more of a route removal than a new route, but where one city is losing service another town is getting more planes. Virgin America is calling it quits on Canada, as they’re planning to pull their flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Toronto as of April 6. Apparently the demand just wasn’t there, and they’re going to “indefinitely suspend” things. That means more planes for Dallas-Ft. Worth, as this year’s Super Bowl city will see a third round-trip flight per day from both of the aforementioned west coast cities. Kind of a bummer, eh?

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What Fuel Prices? Copa Adds New Routes, New Planes

Continuing the trend of foreign carriers that are doing just fine despite doom and gloom in the US aviation market, Copa Airlines is adding new service to cities across South America and the Caribbean and will add six new planes to its fleet by the end of this year.

All the new routes will be out of Tocumen International Airport in Panama, the airline's long-time base, and will serve Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. Service starts in December.

On the aircraft front, six new Boeing 737s will bring the Copa fleet up to 43 planes. The carrier also already owns more than a dozen Embraer 190s, which are about to get really popular in Brazil.

Related Stories:
· Copa Airlines Announces Expansion Plans [Official Site]
· New Routes coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: egmb757lover]