US-Europe transatlantic flights reach record high with addition of 24 new routes

One example is United's route from Chicago O'Hare—currently the world's busiest airport by flights—to Barcelona. Previously ending in October, this service will now continue through December 1, 2025. The route also started earlier in 2025 than it did in 2024, resulting in a more than 20% increase in seats offered year-over-year.

The newly operated US carrier routes include:

- Dallas/Fort Worth to Rome (American Airlines)

- Boston to Amsterdam (JetBlue)

- Dallas/Fort Worth to Dublin (American Airlines)

- Chicago O'Hare to Dublin (United Airlines)

- Newark to Porto (United Airlines)

- Newark to Venice (United Airlines)

- Philadelphia to Athens (American Airlines)

- Washington Dulles to Edinburgh (United Airlines)

- Minneapolis to Dublin (Delta Air Lines)

- Chicago O'Hare to Barcelona (United Airlines)

- Detroit to Rome (Delta Air Lines)

European airlines have also introduced 13 new US-bound routes that were not present last November. Aer Lingus has started flights from Dublin to Indianapolis and Nashville using the A321XLR; only Minneapolis had been served before among these cities. Air France resumed Paris CDG-Orlando operations after a hiatus of more than a decade and now uses the A350-900 on this route instead of the previously deployed 747-400.

Other new European airline services include Discover’s Munich-Orlando flight—the first time this airport pair has been connected—and Iberia’s winter flights from Madrid to Washington Dulles with plans for Madrid-Orlando service starting October 26 using an A330. Icelandair launched Keflavik-Nashville flights on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 and will begin Miami service with an A321LR on October 25.

Additional long-haul launches include ITA Airways’ Rome-San Francisco flights with an A330-900, Level’s reintroduction of Barcelona-Los Angeles with an A330-200, Norse Atlantic’s Rome-Los Angeles route using a Boeing 787-9, and TAP Air Portugal’s Lisbon-Los Angeles flights aboard an A330-900.

Single-aisle aircraft account for seven out of the 24 new or reinstated transatlantic routes this November. Operators such as Aer Lingus, Iberia, Icelandair, and JetBlue use narrowbody jets like the A321XLR and Boeing 737 MAX for these longer journeys—a trend expected to continue as more airlines expand narrowbody operations across the Atlantic.

For instance, Icelandair’s upcoming Keflavik-Miami route will become its longest by flight time when it starts on October 25. The airline plans three weekly winter flights with its A321LR aircraft; after arriving at Miami at night, planes will remain overnight before departing back for Iceland late afternoon the next day.

These developments highlight ongoing growth and evolving strategies among both US and European carriers seeking greater connectivity between North America and Europe during traditionally quieter travel periods.