U.S. Airlines Expand Global Connectivity in 2026

Published on November 20, 2025

A major wave of new international routes is set to launch from the United States in 2026, significantly broadening travel and tourism opportunities between the U.S. and a wide diversity of global destinations. Leading carriers such as Delta, United, JetBlue, Starlux, and Alaska Airlines are opening up connections to countries including Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Italy, Scotland, Spain, Taiwan, and Iceland. These new services reflect the airlines’ commitment to meeting rising demand for global travel, offering both business and leisure travelers fresh routes from U.S. hubs. From historic European cities to emerging vacation spots, the 2026 schedule underlines a major rebound in global tourism and marks a strategic shift toward international connectivity for U.S. carriers.

Delta’s Bold Middle East and Mediterranean Moves

Delta Air Lines is pushing into new territory by launching nonstop service between Atlanta (USA) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) beginning in October 2026. This landmark route, operated with Airbus A350-900 aircraft in a four-class cabin, will run three times a week — representing Delta’s first direct link to Saudi Arabia.

In parallel, Delta is reinforcing its Mediterranean strategy. New seasonal flights are planned from New York JFK to Valletta (Malta) and to Olbia (Sardinia, Italy). By targeting warm-weather destinations, Delta is clearly capitalising on growing summer leisure travel from the U.S. East Coast.

United Airlines Broadens European Reach, Plus Korea and Iceland

United Airlines is making a strong push into Europe, Latin Europe, and even Asia with a slate of new nonstop routes. From Newark (USA), it will begin flights to Split (Croatia) three times weekly, plus seasonal nonstops to Bari (Italy) and Glasgow (Scotland). The airline is also launching a service from the U.S. to Santiago de Compostela (Spain), catering to adventurous and culturally minded travelers.

Further extending its transatlantic network, United will operate a daily nonstop between Washington-Dulles and Reykjavik (Iceland). This opens up Iceland’s dramatic landscapes — from glaciers to geysers — to U.S. travelers more seamlessly than before.

In a particularly notable move for East Coast flyers, United is introducing a nonstop Newark–Seoul route (South Korea). This launch will make United the only U.S. carrier offering an East Coast to Seoul connection, an important gateway for both tourism and business travel across the Pacific.

JetBlue Adds Latin America and Southern Europe Options

JetBlue is diversifying its route map by introducing several exciting new services in 2026. From Fort Lauderdale (USA), the airline will fly to Cali (Colombia) and daily to Liberia (Costa Rica), strengthening its footprint in Latin America and catering to the growing number of U.S. travelers drawn to Central and South American destinations.

JetBlue is also expanding transatlantic options, launching flights from Boston (USA) to both Milan (Italy) and Barcelona (Spain). These routes are well aligned with JetBlue’s leisure-oriented positioning, giving travelers flexible and attractive European travel options from the East Coast.

Asia-Pacific and Premium Market: Starlux & Alaska Airline Innovations

In a strategic move into the U.S. market, Starlux Airlines (Taiwan) will debut its first service beyond the U.S. West Coast with a new route from Phoenix (USA) to Taipei (Taiwan) starting January 2026. This route will be operated using Airbus A350-900 aircraft, offering a premium onboard experience, including lie-flat business seats — a compelling option for discerning long-haul travelers.

Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines is making its first-ever foray into transatlantic travel, with a nonstop Seattle (USA) to Rome (Italy) route. The service will use Boeing 787-8 aircraft, and will mark a major expansion for the airline beyond its traditional North American network.

Strategic Implications for U.S. Travel and Tourism

These announcements reflect a clear trend: U.S. carriers are not just rebuilding their route networks, they are reimagining them. After years marked by travel restrictions and demand volatility, airlines are now leaning into global tourism growth and leveraging pent-up demand. By prioritizing both leisure hotspots and underserved international markets, they are offering travelers more diverse destination choices than ever before.

These new routes will likely benefit multiple sectors:

• Tourists will enjoy more direct access from the U.S. to culturally rich destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
• Business travelers will get enhanced connectivity, especially with new links to major economic centers like Riyadh and Seoul.
• Local economies in both the U.S. departure cities and the international destinations can gain from increased tourism, investment, and job creation.

Furthermore, these strategic expansions suggest that U.S. airlines are confident in long-term global recovery. They are deploying modern long-haul aircraft (like the A350 and 787) and focusing on premium-cabin demand, indicating that airlines expect sustained international growth rather than a short-lived rebound.

Looking Ahead: What Travelers Should Know

For travelers in the United States, the 2026 launch of these routes means more flexibility and options:

• Customers should keep an eye on booking windows: as new routes are confirmed, airlines will begin ticket sales (as has been announced for some via their schedule-release programs).
• Those interested in seasonal travel (especially to Mediterranean destinations) can benefit from pricing through early planning.
• Travelers to emerging destinations like Split or Bari may find attractive introductory fares as airlines stimulate demand.
• Frequent flyers and premium-cabin travelers could particularly value the lie-flat business seats on aircraft serving long-haul new routes (e.g., Seattle–Rome or Phoenix–Taipei).