Gulf Air resumes New York JFK service after nearly three decades

Gulf Air’s Group CEO Jeffrey Goh had previously indicated that resuming US operations would only be possible once the airline returned to profitability following years of losses. In 2024, Goh stated that Gulf Air was likely to restart US flights in 2025, aligning with the airline’s 75th anniversary: “In 2024, Goh said that Gulf Air would likely resume US flights in 2025, as this is the year of the carrier's 75th anniversary.” The inaugural round-trip flight used a Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring special anniversary livery.

Flights are currently scheduled three times per week—on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays—with departures from Bahrain at 04:00 local time arriving at JFK at 10:55. Return flights leave JFK at 15:00 and arrive back in Bahrain at 10:35 the next day.

Direct demand between Bahrain and JFK remains limited; only about 33 passengers traveled daily between these airports over the past year. Bahrain aims to boost tourism through events such as the Grand Prix, but longer routes typically require higher-yielding point-to-point traffic alongside connecting passengers to remain viable.

Like other Middle Eastern airlines serving North America, Gulf Air will rely heavily on transfer traffic. However, current schedules allow for quick connections only from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Riyadh within four hours of arrival or departure in both directions. Other cities require longer waits of up to five hours or more—a less competitive option given alternative carriers offering shorter connection times.

With this launch, Gulf Air becomes the ninth Middle Eastern passenger airline serving JFK alongside Arkia, El Al, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, and Saudia. Collectively these carriers operate between ten and seventeen daily departures from JFK through year-end—making it one of the busiest airports globally for widebody long-haul flights.

On certain days such as October 9 there will be up to seventeen Middle Eastern departures from JFK; however Gulf Air does not operate on that specific day.