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Best new flight routes launching in 2016
  • British Airways' new direct flights from London Gatwick to San Jose, Costa Rica will run twice-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 27 April 2016. Return fares will cost from £687 in World Traveller. Costa Rica is one of the hottest destinations for 2016, with its colourful wildlife, volcanic peaks and Pacific and Caribbean coasts accessible in under 11 hours from London.
  • From May 2016, Thomas Cook Airlines will operate two flights a week from Manchester to Los Angeles on Monday and Saturday from £499 return. Los Angeles, with its 75 miles of beaches and year-round sunshine, is known as the entertainment capital of the world. It boasts more than 300 cultural institutions and some of the best theme parks ever built, as well as world-class shopping, dining and drinking.
  • Ryanair is launching new flights from London Stansted to Sofia from April with a daily service and fares starting from £31.99 one way. The Bulgarian capital is one of Europe's oldest cities dating back around 7,000 years. Sofia has an East meets West feel, with a mix of orthodox churches, public gardens and excellent nightlife.

  • Thomson Airways will fly from Manchester to Aruba from 2 May to 24 October in 2016. The direct summer flight on Mondays will cost from £749 return. The Caribbean island boasts amazing beaches, contrasting landscapes, friendly people, a colourful underwater world and delicious food. Sitting just outside the hurricane belt, Aruba is at the very south of the Caribbean Sea, less than 20 miles from the Venezuela coast.
  • From 20 May 2016, WOW air will begin a London to Toronto via Reykjavik service from £99 one way. The flights from Gatwick will operate four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday as a year-round service. Cosmopolitan Toronto is a fun, vibrant city where you will find an eclectic mix of festivals, classy restaurants and plenty to see and do. The Canadian city is home to the third tallest building in the world, hosts major sporting events and has unique neighbourhoods full of character.
  • Finnair is set to launch a seasonal service from Edinburgh to Helsinki from £239 return. The three times weekly service begins on 18 April 2016 and will operate to 27 October 2016. Sitting on the edge of the Baltic, the modern city of Helsinki has surrounding nature that blends seamlessly with high-tech achievements and contemporary trends.

  • British Airways is launching a new direct flight to Lima, capital of Peru, on 4 May 2016. The flights will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and cost from £765 return in World Traveller. Lima is home to impressive colonial architecture, elegant district Miraflores and a world-class culinary scene.
  • WOW air will commence flights from London Gatwick to Montreal via Reykjavik from 12 May 2016 from £99 one way. The service will operate four days a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Montreal is the largest city in Quebec and the second largest city in Canada behind Toronto. It is home to diverse neighbourhoods, many top restaurants and hosts a number of major events throughout the year.
  • Jet2.com will launch twice weekly departures from Glasgow to Girona between 20 May and 19 September 2016. The flights start at £42 one way. Nestled in the northeastern corner of Spain, Girona is a classic Catalan city with connections to the Costa Brava. A city that wears its history on its sleeve, Girona has grand towers and city walls that encircle the Old Town.
  • Thomas Cook will fly to the Greek island of Thassos from Manchester in 2016. The weekly flights on Friday will cost from £140.29 return. Offering a traditional taste of Greece, the island has incredible scenery along with fine sandy beaches. Teamed with traditional villages and a very warm welcome, laid-back Thassos is as enjoyable for those seeking all-out relaxation as it is for culture vultures looking to explore.

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