Summer 2026, here are the 5 most anticipated new intercontinental routes at Italian airports
It may not seem like it, yet summer 2026 is just around the corner. Of course, there are those who might object, "but how! It hasn't even arrived [...]
United Airlines
Delta
Asiana Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Air Canada
It may not look like it, Yet summer 2026 is around the corner. Of course, there are those who might object, "but how! December hasn't even arrived...how can summer be close?" All true; except that yours truly was referring to theaviation summer which, as is well known, is triggered in conjunction with the last Sunday in March. The time has come, then, to focus on the coming beautiful season: what are the Most interesting new intercontinental routes in summer 2026? Let's find out in this article.
Delta's Olbia-New York (JFK): Sardinia has its first intercontinental flight.
In this article:
It's about time. Sardinians will agree with me: An intercontinental route is also finally available from the Island's airports. Delta, starting next May 20, 2026, will fly from Olbia a New York (JFK): the route will be operated 4 times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from New York; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from Olbia) with the now-defunct Boeing 767-300.
Departure from Olbia is scheduled at 11:00 a.m. while arrival at JFK is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. (local time); taking off from the Big Apple, however, at 6:25 p.m. and landing in Costa Smeralda after about 8 1/2 hours of flight time, at 9:00 a.m. the following day (local time).
Bari-New York (EWR): United also lands in Puglia
No longer just Neos: starting from summer 2026 also United will connect the airport "Karol Wojtyła" of Bari e New York (EWR). The link will be active as of May 1, 2026 and will have four frequencies weekly: every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Flight UA381 will take off from Bari at 09:45 and arrive in Newark at 14:00; on the reverse leg, it will depart Newark at 16:45 and land in Bari at 07:45 the next day (flight UA380). The route will be operated with the Boeing 767-300 set up in 3 classes: business, premium economy and economy.
The capital city of Puglia becomes, therefore, the United network's sixth Italian destination, after Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples and Palermo; and this evidently confirms the company's increasing focus on Mediterranean Europe and the Italian market.
Air Canada's Catania-Montreal: North Americans increasingly crazy about Sicily
One more intercontinental route to and from southern Italy. Starting from June 4, 2026 Canada's national airline Air Canada will connect with a direct flight the airports of Montreal (YUL) e Catania (CTA). They will be 3 the frequencies weekly: on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (from Catania); on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (from Montreal). Flight AC933 will take off from Catania at 11:50 a.m. and land in Montreal after about 9 1/2 hours, at 3:20 p.m.; on the reverse leg, departure from YUL is scheduled at 7:35 p.m. while arrival at CTA is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. the following day.
Passengers will fly aboard the Boeing 787-8 'Dreamliner'. Air Canada has a total of 32 of them, and all are configured with 3 classes of service: business (20 seats), premium economy (21) and economy (214), for a total of 255 seats.
New at Fiumicino: Rome-Seattle operated by Alaska Airlines.
For the first time in history Rome and Seattle will be connected by a direct flight. The route, operated as mentioned by Alaska Airlines, will be served by four flights per week: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays will take off from Rome-Fiumicino at 3:45 p.m. and will arrive at Seattle at 6 p.m. (local time); on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, however, departure from Seattle is scheduled at 6 p.m. and arrival at FCO is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. the following day.
The flight will be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner: the aircraft will be in Hawaiian livery and will be set up in two classes: business (the new suites) and economy. During summer 2026, however, another U.S. company will also operate this route: Delta.
Asiana Airlines will connect Milan-Malpensa and Seoul
As of the next March 31, 2026, Asiana will fly from Milan-Malpensa a Seoul-Incheon three times a week, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Departure from Seoul-Incheon is scheduled at 1:40 p.m., while arrival arrival in Malpensa is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. (local time). In the reverse direction, takeoff from Malpensa will be at 10 p.m. with arrival in Korea at 4:40 p.m. the following day. Asiana will operate the route in question with one of its fifteen Airbus A350-900 configured to two classes with 28 seats in business (layout 1-2-1) and 283 in economy (3-3-3).
The connection between Milan and Seoul, therefore, will become daily: yes, because Asiana's 3 flights are in addition to the 4 operated by Korean Air. Asiana and Korean, we recall, are now one company: Korean, in fact, in recent months purchased and incorporated Asiana.
