dailynewsnblog
EgyptAir plans to increase its US operations significantly. As identified by Aeroroutes, two additional routes are scheduled: Cairo to both Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles. While it’ll be the first time that Chicago has seen the Star Alliance member, EgyptAir last served Los Angeles in 2001, when flights operated via New York JFK. The airline’s brand-new Airbus A350-900s will be flown to Illinois and California.
It had applied to serve both cities last year. The Egyptian flag carrier now plans a record five US routes: Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark (flights began in 2023), New York JFK, and Washington Dulles. When Canada is added, it’ll have a record six North American links, with Toronto also served.
EgyptAir To Chicago
The first flight on this brand-new route to 
Chicago will lift off from Africa on June 21, in time for the peak summer with higher demand and fares. EgyptAir will fly three times a week on the two-class, 340-seat A350-900. This frequency is commonplace for new long-haul routes.
Booking data shows that Cairo-Chicago has 41,000 round-trip point-to-point passengers. As usual, nonstop flights will mean the local market grows. According to senior airline network planner and industry commentator Behramjee Ghadially, “By virtue of operating the only nonstop service, EgyptAir should be able to stimulate demand by 40%.” Not only will this boost business ties and tourism, but it’ll also mean it’ll require fewer lower-yielding connecting passengers.
Still, connections will be important to boost loads and revenue. “Chicago to Lagos, Abuja, and Accra will be key target markets. All have decent traffic volume. Despite the detour, it’ll capture passengers through attractive pricing and an enhanced baggage allowance, which will be vital in poaching market share from others.”
The schedule, which is shown below, is set up for such sub-Saharan African markets. These times, which are nearly identical to the carrier’s Washington Dulles service, will also help with Levant and broader Middle Eastern traffic. Amman, Beirut, Dubai, Jeddah, Medinah, and Riyadh will be among the key targets.
|
Leg |
Schedule; Local Times |
|---|---|
|
Cairo to Chicago O’Hare |
12:50 am-5:15 am |
|
Chicago O’Hare to Cairo |
10:30 am-5:40 am+1 |
EgyptAir Will Return To Los Angeles After 25 Years
The carrier has long planned to return to California’s most populous city, although Royal Air Maroc’s announcement of Casablanca-Los Angeles flights might have motivated it even more. After all, Morocco’s flag carrier will particularly focus on Los Angeles’ Cairo traffic, which is significant, at around 71,000. EgyptAir’s entry will grow that figure to around 100,000 in the first full year.
“EgyptAir will succeed more at Los Angeles than Royal Air Maroc because the existing point-to-point demand is four times higher. Aside from Cairo, Los Angeles’ Africa traffic is minimal. As such, EgyptAir will particularly focus on the Middle East. It clearly understands what markets it is targeting, with its schedule reflecting this.”
After a quarter of a century, EgyptAir will return to Los Angeles on May 23. It’ll run three times weekly on the A350-900. In complete contrast to Chicago’s timings, and that of its other North American routes, EgyptAir will leave Cairo at 8:30 am and arrive in California at 1:20 pm local time. Returning, it’ll depart at 5:25 pm and get back at 5:10 pm+1 the next day.
“EgyptAir will be a popular for high-end tour operators in Los Angeles for travel to Egypt. It’ll be a value-for-money choice for Saudi students, business class passengers, and those traveling for Hajj and Umrah. It’ll definitely impact the market share of Turkish Airlines, in particular, which relies on such markets.
If EgyptAir has attractive fares, its schedule is suited to reaching places like Athens, which no longer has nonstop flights from Los Angeles. Star Alliance FFP points will help. Many of Turkish Airlines’ US passengers backtrack.”
Given flights to Chicago and Los Angeles will start soon, Cairo’s largest unserved North American market is now San Francisco—and it’s another Star hub, like Dulles, Newark, and O’Hare. Around 38,000 passengers traveled last year. Passengers will easily be able to fly Los Angeles-San Francisco with its codeshare partner, United Airlines.
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What About India Traffic?
EgyptAir serves both Delhi and Mumbai. It’d be logical to wonder whether Chicago or Los Angeles flights are timed to connect to/from them. They’d offer good traffic volume, but—like pilgrim travel, etc.—quite low fares, which is exactly what is not required on such long and expensive-to-operate routes.
Delhi does not connect well at all, so it is out of contention. And Mumbai is out of the question from Chicago and Los Angeles. However, if EgyptAir was keen to target this market from California, it’d only have to change its Mumbai schedule slightly. In June, for example, flights will leave Cairo at 5:35 pm—only half an hour or so would have to be added. Its arrival time back home, at 6:30 am, connects well.
Amman and Beirut, both of which are decent-sized markets from Los Angeles, are in a similar position. Flights from Cairo leave shortly before 6:00 pm, so they’d need to be slightly adjusted to capture this demand. They arrive home at 5:55 am (Amman) and 7:00 am (Beirut), which is completely fine for onward service. If the flight times to these cities—and Mumbai—are altered, we’ll probably know why.
