Gulf Air announces new direct flights from Bahrain to New York JFK

Gulf Air's return to the US comes after several years of interest expressed in flying there again. Group CEO Jeffrey Goh highlighted the importance of returning to profitability for the airline's growth: "the airline must return to profitability," he stated. He also suggested that 2025 would mark a significant year for Gulf Air as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Flights between Bahrain and JFK will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The schedule lists flight GF91 departing at 04:00 local time and arriving at JFK at 10:55 local time after a journey lasting nearly 14 hours. The return flight GF90 departs JFK at 15:00 local time and arrives back in Bahrain at 10:35+1 local time after a flight duration of approximately 12 hours and 35 minutes.

Despite an average of only 33 daily passengers traveling between Bahrain and New York over the past year until May 2025, Gulf Air plans to increase this number with its nonstop service while also capitalizing on transit traffic from the Indian Subcontinent. The airline continues serving airports across Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

In the mid-1990s when Gulf Air flew between Bahrain-JFK-Larnaca using A340 aircraft—due partly because Larnaca-JFK traffic rights existed—the partnership with Cyprus Airways failed due largely due minimal demand; additionally higher fares were common then given limited competition along Middle East-US routes via European airlines such as British Airways operating through London Heathrow connections.