With the number of Americans traveling to Europe during the summer months continuing to rise, airlines are increasingly looking to stand out from competitors by offering routes to off-the-beaten-path destinations that would have previously required an airline transfer or train ride.
Delta Air Lines had seasonal flights from JFK to Sicily’s Catania and Detroit International Airport (DTW) to the Belgian capital of Brussels this summer while American Airlines ran flights to Athens and Zürich from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Budapest and Prague from Philadelphia International (PHL).
While these were all seasonal routes that ran from the period between May and October, airlines are now in the process of announcing new summer destinations for 2026.
Croatia, Italy, Scotland and Spain, oh my: New United routes
Chicago-based United Airlines just announced a major expansion from its Newark Liberty International (EWR) hub with four European routes: to Croatia’s Split, Italy’s Bari, Scotland’s Glasgow and Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
The latter city in the northwestern Spanish province of Galicia is known above all as the home of the Saint James The Great shrine and endpoint of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail that in recent years has become increasingly popular not just among religious pilgrims but tourists.
Related: Another regional airline files for bankruptcy, cancels all flights
According to statistics from the Spanish government, the number of tourists embarking on the 820-kilometer route (there are different starting points and not everyone walks it in its entirety) reached a record 500,000 in 2024 while that number was at just under 100,000 two decades ago.
“This will be the first regularly scheduled service between the U.S. and Santiago de Compostela, making it more accessible than ever for American travelers to explore or visit loved ones,” the airline said in announcing the new routes. “[…] With this new flight, United now flies to six destinations in Spain including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Bilbao, and is the only airline to fly nonstop to Bilbao, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca from the U.S.”
The Newark-Santiago route will run on a Boeing 737-MAX 8 plane and will be the last of the new Newark flights to launch for the season on May 22, 2026. The Split, Bari and Glasgow routes will respectively begin on April 30, May 1 and May 8.
United will also launch a new flight between Washington Dulles (IAD) and the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik on May 21 on a Boeing 757-200 — the larger aircraft allows for a larger premium section and makes United the first airline to offer lie-flat seats on this route.
unsplash
United to launch one new route to Asia, increase Tel Aviv frequencies
Other announced routes include a new flight between Newark and Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) and upped frequencies between EWR and Tel Aviv.
More on travel:
- United Airlines CEO gives stark warning on Olympic Games
- Another regional airline cancels all flights, no refunds
- US government issues sudden warning on Switzerland travel
- Another country just issued a new visa requirement for visitors
“With the addition of these new flights and the return of all of our new routes from last year, United now flies to 46 cities across the Atlantic — more than any other airline — and is the clear flag carrier of the U.S,” United Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances Patrick Quayle said in a statement.
Along with the new seasonal European routes, United also announced that the flights it launched last year as part of its efforts to reach more unusual and exotic destinations —Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, Nuuk in Greenland and Portugal’s Faro and Madeira among others — will all also be returning for the season in 2026.
Related: Urgent travel advisory targets holiday paradise with terrorism warning
#United #Airlines #launch #flight #religious #site #viral