Qantas’ new nonstop route between Melbourne (MEL) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) is among the eye-catching new services being launched by carriers around the world this month.

From Dec. 3, the airline will operate three weekly return flights using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, becoming the first direct route between the two cities. The service will complement the airline’s existing Sydney (SYD)-DFW route, which is currently operating 5X-weekly but will increase to 6X-weekly later this month.

DFW is a hub for Qantas’ oneworld alliance partner American Airlines, while the two carriers have transpacific joint venture together. The new service will therefore offer significant opportunities for onward connections at both ends of the route.

At 14,468 km (8,990 mi.), MEL-DFW will become one of the longest routes in the world and just 31 km shorter than Qantas’ longest route between Perth (PER) and London Heathrow (LHR).

The launch comes as Qantas has also started a new route between Brisbane (BNE) and Tokyo Haneda (HND), replacing its previous service to Tokyo Narita (NRT).

Elsewhere, Finnair will open the third of three new daily services to Doha (DOH) later this month. Flights from Copenhagen (CPH) and Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) have already begun, with Airbus A330-300 operations from Helsinki (HEL) commencing on Dec. 15.

The expansion forms part of the oneworld alliance member’s redefined network strategy as it cuts back on routes to secondary cities in Asia to focus on markets in the Middle East. In August, the airline also announced plans for closer cooperation with Qatar Airways.

Other notable new routes starting in December include Air France’s return to Newark (EWR) after a decade away, and Air India’s decision to open a third route to San Francisco (SFO). The latter will see 3X-weekly flights from Mumbai (BOM) starting on Dec. 15.

Colombia’s Avianca is also expanding point-to-point connectivity from regional airports in Colombia, including flights from Pereira (PEI) to New York John F Kennedy (JFK), and startup Canada Jetlines is opening its first international flights to the US.

Lastly, Japan’s Zipair Tokyo is growing its US network with the launch of a new route to San José, home to the northern Californian airport that serves as a gateway to Silicon Valley. Tokyo Narita-Mineta San José International (SJC) begins on Dec. 12 and will be 3X-weekly using 787-8s.

San José is home to a large Japanese community and Japantown San José is considered to be one of the last three authentic Japantowns in the US. The city’s airport is named after the late Norman Mineta, the former mayor of San José born to Japanese parents who became the first US Transportation Secretary of East Asian descent.

Zipair will therefore be targeting VFR traffic, as well as business travel to Silicon Valley and leisure passengers to the San Francisco Ba area.

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