6 new flights you will want to book immediately

Itching to get away already? You’re certainly not the only one desperate for an escape abroad.

People across the globe are ready to cut down on other areas of personal spending to prioritize leisure travel this year, according to a survey of more than 10,000 people from nine countries, conducted by the Hilton hotel group and Ipsos.

Air travel has seen continued strong growth in the post-COVID-19 era. In November 2023, global traffic was reported to be at 99.1 percent of pre-pandemic levels in November 2019, according to the latest report from the International Air Transport Association.

And with a host of new flight routes to be launched this year, there’s no better time than now to start planning your next trip.

Here, we highlight some reasons to catch one of the new services taking off in 2024.

Last Supper at the World’s Best Restaurant in Copenhagen

American Airlines is launching an inaugural direct flight service from Philadelphia to Copenhagen, the vibrant Danish capital, from June 6.

Food enthusiasts will not want to miss the last chance to dine at Copenhagen’s Noma, the Michelin 3-starred restaurant that’s topped the listing of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants—the internationally recognized industry ranking voted for by over 1,000 culinary experts from 27 regions across the globe—five times.

Known for its innovative take on traditional Nordic cuisine, from fermentation to foraging, the venue will be closing its doors after two decades. This year will mark “the last season of Noma as we know it,” its website says, as the restaurant transitions into “a pioneering test kitchen.”

A spokesperson for Noma told Newsweek: “We don’t have specifics to share at the moment other than that the next iteration of Noma, 3.0, will dedicate more time to food innovation while serving guests in Copenhagen and around the world through pop-ups and occasional menus in Copenhagen.”

While food lovers have flocked to the city for years for Noma, visitors should also appreciate Copenhagen’s innovative architecture too. The city was named the World Capital of Architecture for 2023 by UNESCO and visitors can explore the its architectural legacy and developmental ambitions around climate, sustainable solutions and liveability.

Explore Nice While Hopping to the Cannes Film Festival

Passengers can enjoy a scenic French Riviera escape via a new non-stop American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Nice in southern France from May 6, just in time to soak in the glitz and glam of the 77th annual film festival in nearby Cannes.

Hollywood director, screenwriter and actress Greta Gerwig will serve as the festival’s jury president this year, with the star-studded event to be held from May 15 to 24.

While best-known for its summer beach escapes, Nice was also declared a UNESCO designated site as “a winter resort town of the French Riviera” in 2021. Sitting at the foot of the French Alps at the country’s border with Italy, Nice makes the most of its mild climate and coastal location between sea and mountains, UNESCO notes.

See Bruce Springsteen in Barcelona

American Airlines is launching a new daily flight service on June 5 from Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas to Barcelona, the bustling capital city of northern Spain’s Catalonia region.

Dubbed “the Paris of Spain” by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, Barcelona has a host of cultural offerings in store for visitors this year, including several high-profile concerts.

Music fans can enjoy the sounds of legendary artists, including Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Depeche Mode, German rock group Rammstein and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, according to Visit Barcelona, the city’s official tourism website.

Catch the Northern Lights in Reykjavik

From May 23, United will resume seasonal flying between Reykjavik and New York/Newark (New Jersey) for the first time since summer 2022. The daily service will allow travelers to take in otherworldly views of Iceland’s volcanic landscape or relax in the geothermal seawater of the Blue Lagoon spa, located just under an hour outside Reykjavik.

Northern lights chasers may have the best chance of catching a glimpse of them this year. Scientists say 2024 will see the strongest northern lights—also known as Aurora Borealis—activity in the past two decades because of increased solar activity, which is expected to peak between January and October, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

During average auroral activity levels, Reykjavik offers “a good chance” to view the northern lights, according to The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.

Beer Galore at the Oktoberfest in Munich

Delta Air Lines is offering a new non-stop flight between New York City and Munich in Germany’s Bavaria region. The new service will run three times a week from April 9.

Munich is home to the annual Oktoberfest, the world’s largest folk festival, which will take place from September 21 to October 6 this year. The event features parades, concerts and carnival rides, as well as, of course, huge quantities of beer.

The historic festival dates back to the early 1800s, when it was first held to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria. It attracts around six million visitors ever year who come from all over the world for the boozy affair. In 2023, around 6.5 million liters of beer were poured at the Oktoberfest, according to data compiled by Statista.

Reach the Southernmost Tip of Portugal in Faro

From May 24, United will be the first airline to offer direct flights between the U.S. and Faro, the capital of Portugal’s Algarve region, with its new service from New York City/Newark. Visitors can enjoy Faro’s historic quarters, as well as quiet stretches of pristine sandy coasts, including Cabo de Santa Maria, the southernmost point of mainland Portugal.

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