Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has officially announced that it will be launching a new route from Bahrain to New York JFK on October 1, 2025. This highly anticipated route will be serviced by a 282-seat Boeing 787-9, the airline’s only widebody aircraft, and bookings for the flights are now open.

This is not the first time Gulf Air has flown to JFK, as the airline operated flights to the airport in the 1990s from Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. This is due to the fact that Gulf Air was the flag carrier for the UAE, Qatar, and Oman at the time. Some of these flights were even extended to Houston, but this ultimately led to increased costs and losses, despite relatively low fuel prices. In 2004, the airline attempted to return to the US using ex-Air Canada A340-500s, but was denied permission.

The new route from Bahrain to New York will cover a distance of 5,747 nautical miles (10,643 km) and have a flight time of up to 13 hours and 55 minutes, making it the longest route for Gulf Air in terms of both distance and time. This route will be launched just after Etihad Airways’ recent inauguration of their longest route in five years.

Gulf Air’s return to the US is set to take place in just two and a half months, which may not be enough time to fully promote and fill the flights. However, the airline has been codesharing with American Airlines via London Heathrow for many years, which may help offset any potential lack of awareness and bookings.

The airline has expressed interest in flying to the US in 2019, 2022, and 2024, but it wasn’t until last year that plans started to take shape. Group CEO Jeffrey Goh emphasized the importance of the airline returning to profitability, and the launch of this new route is expected to pave the way for further development. Goh hinted that the 75th anniversary of the airline in 2025 would be the perfect time for their return to the US, stating “we must think ahead so we don’t miss the boat. ” Hopefully, this expansion will not undo the progress the airline has made in recent years.

The new flights from Bahrain to JFK will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, with local departure times of 04:00 and 15:00 respectively. The return flights from JFK to Bahrain will depart at 15:00 and arrive the next day at 10:35, with a flight time of 12 hours and 35 minutes.

This new route is seen as a high-cost, high-risk venture for Gulf Air, as the local market for Bahrain to New York is relatively small, with only 33 daily passengers in the past 12 months.