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Fairytale castles, ancient cities dating back to times immemorial, and beautiful architecture just about everywhere you look: Europe is calling, and it’s high time you answered.
This year will be one of the most exciting ones for US-Europe travel yet, as not only is connectivity increasing between North America and the Old Continent, but a host of unexpected flight routes are launching, some of which had never been available before.
Starting in either spring or summer, these are 4 brand new Transatlantic flights launching soon we’re most looking forward to in 2025:
San Francisco to Terceira, Portugal
- Starts: June 3
- Frequency: 1x weekly
- Aircraft: A330neo
- Price: from $1,101 one-way
- Flight duration: 12h5m+
For the first time this year, the West Coast of the U.S. will be connected to the Azores archipelago in Portugal by means of a direct flight offered by TAP Air Portugal once a week from San Francisco International (SFO) to Terceira (TER).
Home to around 53,311 inhabitants and with a mainland-sized 153 square miles, it is one of the biggest in this island chain, located halfway between North America and Europe, and it’s an unusual pick for TAP, considering Terceira’s relative anonymity and isolation.
If there’s one lesson we learned from these recently-launched Greenland and Faroe Islands flights, however, it is that no island is too remote or too small a destination to accommodate big airlines, especially when Americans are craving off-path adventures.
As for Terceira, it is a volcanic island best known for its hilly interior, hydrangea-flanked roads, which loop around a rugged coastline, and its picture-perfect capital, Angra do Heroísmo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed full of colonial fortifications and churches.
New York-JFK To Bari, Italy
- Starts: June 3
- Frequency: 1x weekly
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamline
- Price: from $485.63
- Flight duration: 8h40m+
Beginning next summer, Italian carrier Neos Air will begin operating the first-ever flights between New York (JFK) to Bari (BRI), the capital and cultural heart of Italy’s much-overlooked yet awe-inspiring Puglia.
A more laid-back version of Amalfi, it is a culturally rich region laying claim to both natural and manmade wonders, from Alberobello, an ancient settlement dotted with conical-roofed stone huts called trulli, to the scenic coastal cliffs strewn with whitewashed towns.
Bari itself is a medieval maze of narrow streets leading to charming piazze and Baroque cathedrals, and you should know seafood here reigns supreme––there’s countless locally-run trattorie to try, but if you’re looking for authentic cuisine at reasonable prices, try Mamapulia.
Nonstop flights to Bari will be available weekly from June 3 to October 15, making it easier for Americans to reach the boot of the Italian peninsula over summer and even the fall, when temperatures are at their most pleasant and the seas tranquil and warm enough to swim in.
New York-JFK to Catania, Italy
- Starts: May 22
- Frequency: Daily
- Aircraft: Boeing 767-300(ER)
- Price: from $1,088
- Flight duration: 9h10m+
2025 is the year US-Italy connections are at their apex, and further proof is the newly-announced New York (JFK) to Catania (CTA) flights, the first ever to link the trendy holiday island of Sicily to North America.
This one caught us by surprise––we thought that if flights to Sicily were ever launching, these would undoubtedly be hosted by the regional capital and largest city Palermo––but we can’t say we’re mad at Delta’s choice of destination:
Catania is a sprawling port city sitting at the foot of Sicily’s main natural attraction, Mount Etna, and a cultural center of the sorts, filled with world-class museums, ornate palaces, and public markets, most notably La Pescheria, ringed by top-notch eateries.
Flight start as early as May 2025––in our opinion, the best period to visit southeastern Sicily due to the milder temperatures, smaller crowds, and cheaper prices: staying at the Etnea Palace, within walking distance of all Catania’s main landmarks, will set you back by $34-a-night.
Newark To Bilbao, Spain
- Starts: May 31
- Frequency: 3x weekly
- Aircraft: Boeing 757-20
- Price: $774
- Flight duration: 7h30m+
Forget Barcelona, Madrid, and the like: if you’re keen on experiencing a different side of Spain, away from the crowds of the Mediterranean and the overwhelming heat, you have to add an offbeat Bilbao to your bucket list (and thanks to United, now it’s a 7h30 flight away).
The largest city in the historical Basque Country, Bilbao is an innovation-driven city lining a fast-flowing Nervión River, characterized by a skyscraper-dominated center and a medieval-era Casco Viejo––if you’re asking us what’s Bilbao’s pride and joy?
That will have to be the Guggenheim Museum, a modernist structure on the waterfront, with swirling shapes and curvilinear edges that feel almost like it’s in permanent movement, even though it’s perfectly immobile.
From Bilbao, you can also visit other smaller, incredibly scenic towns along the Basque Coast, most notably Donostia-San Sebastián, a quaint seaside settlement encroaching on a long sandy strip, and Lekeitio, famous for its lively harbor and unspoiled beach.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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