LOT Polish Airlines is to restart direct, nonstop flights between Budapest and New York’s JFK airport next summer.
The flag carrier launched its four-times-weekly Budapest-New York route in May 2018, but the service was suspended following Covid-19, and has not operated since, aside from four special flights last Christmas.
Budapest airport confirmed that it would resume in June 2022, initially with three flights per week.
The nine hour 15 minutes route will be operated by a 252-seater Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft.
There are currently no other direct, nonstop services between Budapest and New York – the route has previously been served by the defunct Malev Hungarian Airlines, as well as US carriers Delta and AA.
Commenting on the news Balázs Bogáts, head of airline development for Budapest Airport, said:
“The demand for new routes and the propensity to travel in the Hungarian and international markets are growing in parallel with the demand for direct flights. New and re-launched flights thus play a key role in Budapest Airport’s traffic recovery, following the coronavirus outbreak.
“It remains Budapest Airport’s goal to rebuild long-haul flights from Budapest as soon as possible, thus helping to reinvigorate the country’s tourism industry. Our airline development team is working tirelessly with the airlines and the Hungarian Tourism Agency to make sure that long-haul flights return to the airport as soon as possible.
“We are therefore delighted with the decision by LOT Polish Airlines, which will allow passengers to fly to and from New York without changing, after a two-year hiatus.”
