These Airlines Are Adding Free Wifi, More Food And A Lot Of New Routes

These airline updates will make a lot of travelers happy.

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This fall, airlines around the world are planning some exciting updates to make the travel experience better. Some of these changes will be ready in time for the holiday season while others will take a bit longer. But, when the journey is just as enjoyable as the destination, the wait might be worth it.

One airline recently announced a new gift for all of its business class passengers on every long-haul flight. New routes, refreshed onboard amenities and even an airline merger are all in the cards. Here are some of the latest airline updates to expect in the coming months.

American Updates Onboard Meal Service, Adds Pay-With-Miles Lounge Access

These meals will be available in business class on American’s premium flights to Hawaii.

American Airlines

For passengers in the premium cabin on transcontinental flights as well as flights to Hawaii are in for some new meals soon. Flights to the Aloha state will have dishes like five-spiced beef short rib with wasabi chive mashed potatoes; chicken breast Katsu with pineapple curry sauce; and Huli-Huli chicken with kailan vegetables and ono glaze. Transcontinental flights will see new dishes like grilled seabass with garlic and lemon mashed potatoes and beef short rib with hollandaise smoky tomato sauce. A new oat milk, non-dairy creamer is also coming to all flights.

AAdvantage members with top-tier elite status can now also choose to redeem miles (24,000 miles for Platinum Pros; 20,000 miles for Executive Platinums) for as many as two passes to Flagship Dining in the Dallas/Fort Worth or Miami Flagship Lounges.

Air New Zealand Refreshes Menus To North America

Slow-cooked beef short rib available on the new Air New Zealand business class menu.

Air New Zealand

The new “A Taste of Aotearoa” menu will be available starting next week on routes from to North America. Many of the dishes use local New Zealand ingredients and follow flavors native to the regions of Fiordland, Hawke’s Bay and the Coromandel. Multi-course menus may start with a smoked kahawai mousse with confit potato, chives and cornichon and Rēwena sourdough bread with Hawkes Bay Olive Oil. Main dishes include slow-cooked beef short rib with black truffle jus, potato purée and broccolini plus a passionfruit pavlova ice cream with Waikato blackberry swirl for dessert.

Delta Plans New Cabin Interior Across Entire Fleet

Delta is redoing all cabins and lavatories with new lighting and fabric.

Delta Air Lines

Later this fall, the airline will unveil its new aircraft interiors aboard a Boeing 757 with an Airbus A350 to feature it early next year. It will showcase new seat materials with refreshed color palettes and enhanced lighting that changes throughout the flight. All widebody and narrowbody premium cabin aircraft seats will have memory-foam cushions. Delta One and first class seats will have a new breathable, wool-nylon blend fabric. Signature Delta brand elements (like the widget) will appear throughout the cabin, too. Planes will receive the new look as they undergo that standard maintenance schedule over the coming years.

United Adds Impressive Roster Of New Routes

United Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane takes off at Los Angeles airport.

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Starting in 2025, United will begin flights to several new destinations including Nuuk, Greenland; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Dakar, Senegal; Palermo, Italy; Bilbao, Spain; and both Madeira and Faro, Portugal. Some flights will operate seasonally or a few times a week while others will be daily. Other new routes for the airline include New York/ewark to Dominica in the Caribbean; Tokyo/Narita to Koror, Palau; and Washington/Dulles to Nice and Venice. This will be the first time a U.S. carrier flies to Greenland and Mongolia, and United is now the only airline to fly to Palau.

Air France Launches Free Wi-Fi Starting In 2025

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Air France landing at Chalon Vatry airport during a training flight

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Ultra-high-speed Wi-Fi on all Air France flights will begin starting next year, as aircraft are updated on a set schedule. The Starlink Wi-Fi service will be available to all Flying Blue members seated in any cabin and fast enough to screen content on multiple devices. Starting in summer 2025, the airline will slowly roll out the amenity to other aircraft.

American And Delta Announces New Long-Haul Flying For 2025

American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER airplane at Frankfurt Airport.

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American will be expanding its long-haul European flying from several of its hubs starting next year. These include Charlotte to Athens (this will become the longest flight operated from the Charlotte hub); Chicago O’Hare to Madrid (replacing one its partner Iberia’s flights); Miami to Rome; and Philadelphia to Edinburgh and Milan Malpensa.

A Delta Boeing 767 approaching Lisbon airport in Portugal

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Delta Air Lines is adding new, long-haul service from almost all of its U.S. hubs. These completely new routes to the Delta map include Atlanta to Naples, Italy; Boston to Barcelona and Milan; Detroit to Dublin; Minneapolis/St. Paul to Rome; New York JFK to Catania, Italy; and Salt Lake City to Seoul Incheon, South Korea.

United Upgrades Onboard Wine With New Women-Owned Labels

United offers four types of wine in domestic economy class.

United

The carrier is adding a new rosé option and a brut bubbles wine that is exclusive to its domestic economy class cabin. These new 250ml canned wines are from women-owned brands Just Enough Wines and Maker Wine and help the airline to reduce plastic in favor of aluminum, which is “nearly infinitely recyclable,” according to the airline. The $12 wine offering is equivalent to 1.5 glasses and one of four wine selections available on its flights.

Year to date, United has served more than 20 million glasses of wine on its flights worldwide. Among those, 3.2 million glasses were served in domestic economy class where the offering is not complimentary although its most frequent Premier 1K members do receive a free drink.

Turkish Airlines Adds World’s ‘Oldest Bread’ Onboard

Turkish is updating its onboard bread selection on longer flights made from an ancient form of grain from Anatolia.

Turkish Airlines

On intercontinental flights in business class, Turkish Airlines will begin offering bread made from Einkorn and Emmer wheat, said to be the oldest types in Anatolia. Turkish culinary historians helped Turkish DO&CO caterers to develop the bread, which is served warm in a small bag with butter and olive oil as part of the meal service. Bringing the “oldest bread” to its flights is part of the airline’s effort to highlight the history of Anatolian agriculture, where wheat was domesticated nearly 12 thousand years ago, Turkish history and culture.