Nine New Transatlantic Flights Launched in One Week

In the past week, there have been nine new or returning transatlantic flights launched, making it an exciting time for aviation enthusiasts. These flights, operated by a diverse range of airlines including Cabo Verde Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Finnair, ITA Airways, LOT Polish, United Airlines, and WestJet, have been carefully selected by Simple Flying to be featured in their weekly celebratory new routes article.

European Airlines Begin Three New Routes

On May 1, ITA Airways, the successor of the now-defunct Alitalia, launched its first-ever flight from Rome Fiumicino to Houston Intercontinental. This route, which will initially operate three times a week, will increase to five times a week from June before returning to its original frequency for the winter season. The flights will be operated by the 291-seat A330-900, which is the main aircraft in ITA’s widebody fleet.

Despite not having any nonstop flights before, the Rome-Houston market is relatively large, with over 56,000 passengers traveling between the two cities last year. This makes it Rome’s largest unserved US market and Houston’s top unserved European city. ITA’s new nonstop flights, along with its codeshare partnership with United, are expected to boost traffic on this route.

On May 4, Finnair resumed flights between Helsinki and Toronto, marking its return to Canada after a six-year hiatus. The flights, which will operate three times a week, will be operated by the A330-300 and will run until August 29. The timing of these flights is strategically planned to facilitate onward connectivity for passengers.

Two days later, on May 6, LOT Polish launched its seasonal flight from Warsaw to San Francisco, making it the first Star Alliance link between the two cities. This route, which was originally announced in 2020 but delayed due to the pandemic, will operate four times a week until October. The flights will be operated by both the 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft, with a split schedule depending on the day of the week. This route is expected to be popular, as San Francisco was Warsaw’s second-largest unserved US market in 2025.

Five Transatlantic Flights Added by North American Airlines

On April 30, United Airlines launched its first-ever flight from Newark to Split, Croatia. This seasonal route, which operates three times a week, is the first long-haul flight to operate at Split airport and the first time a North American carrier has operated there. This new route has contributed to a record capacity between North America and Croatia this year.

On May 1, WestJet made its debut in Portugal with its first flight from Halifax to Lisbon.