Royal Jordanian unveils new capital-to-capital route

21.11.2024 - 23:55 / thepointsguy.com / Royal Jordan

Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport (IAD) will soon get its second nonstop connection to Amman, Jordan.

Royal Jordanian announced on Wednesday that it would add flights from IAD to Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) beginning on March 23, 2025. The Jordanian flag carrier will operate the new route on a twice-weekly basis with departures on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Flights will depart Amman at 11:45 a.m. and land in IAD at 5:45 p.m. The return service to Amman will depart IAD at 8:50 p.m. and land at AMM the following day at 3:25 p.m.

Royal Jordanian will deploy a 270-seat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on the route, which features 24 business-class seats and 246 economy seats.

When the route launches, Royal Jordanian will become the 46th airline serving IAD, which is the primary international hub for travelers heading to the nation's capital.

While this is undoubtedly big news for flyers in the D.C. area, this isn't exactly a new route for IAD. That's because United Airlines already operates this 5,966-mile route.

United launched this service in March 2022, and it has historically been operated three times a week.

United suspended its Dulles-to-Amman route in August due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the general rise in tensions across the Middle East. Right now, United is scheduled to return to the market next October, though that's subject to change.

When United eventually returns, it'll be interesting to see how both airlines fare in this market. Of course, United has a much stronger U.S. point of sale market (as well as U.S. government contracts), but those based in Jordan and the surrounding areas might prefer to fly with a local carrier.

Another advantage to flying with United is that the airline offers many more premium seats, both in the business-class cabin and in the premium economy cabin, which Royal Jordanian doesn't offer.

Note that Royal Jordanian is a member of the Oneworld frequent flyer alliance, and travelers can head onward from Amman to more than 50 destinations on a single ticket.

"By linking these two dynamic markets, we aim to stimulate tourism, trade and investment opportunities. This crucial connection provides seamless connectivity to the Gulf, Levant and North Africa, reinforcing our commitment to providing exceptional service and connecting people across the globe, aligning with RJ's five-year expansion strategy," said Royal Jordanian CEO Samer Majali, in a statement.

Washington, D.C., will become Royal Jordanian's fourth U.S. destination, joining existing service to Chicago, Detroit and New York.

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