Delta Air Lines adds new Southern Europe destinations amid record transatlantic expansion

The planned new routes include New York JFK-Olbia (three weekly Boeing 767-300ER flights starting May 20), New York JFK-Porto (daily Boeing 767-300ER flights starting May 21), and New York JFK-Malta (three weekly Boeing 767-300ER flights beginning June 7). These launches follow Delta’s recent addition of service between New York JFK and Catania in Sicily earlier in May 2025.

With Olbia joining its route map, Delta will operate flights to six Italian cities next summer—more than any other US-based airline or international competitor serving Italy from North America. On average, the airline expects to offer 16 daily departures between the US and Italy during this period.

In contrast with these expansions, Delta ended its London Gatwick service in September 2025 and plans to cease Geneva operations by October due partly to a decrease in Swiss visitors traveling to the US—a drop of about nine percent—and upcoming tariffs affecting pharmaceutical trade. Stuttgart service was also withdrawn in October 2024.

Looking at Southern Europe specifically—including Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, and Spain—Delta intends an average of 32 daily departures next July. This figure represents a nearly fourteen percent increase over last year's record level; compared with pre-pandemic numbers from July 2019, it amounts to a seventy-eight percent rise in such services. The airline now offers fourteen more daily departures than before COVID-19 disrupted air travel.

Almost one-third of Delta’s transatlantic operations will focus on southern European destinations next summer as interest among North Americans grows stronger for this part of the continent. The carrier is slated to serve twelve southern European cities—up from its previous record of nine.

Other airlines are making similar moves: United Airlines has recently launched new routes across Southern Europe including Bilbao, Faro, Funchal, and Palermo; Air Canada is adding Palma de Mallorca among other expansions across various carriers.

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