In a groundbreaking development for Malta’s tourism industry, on Tuesday evening, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg announced a new direct flight schedule between New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and Malta International Airport, starting in summer 2026 by Delta Air Lines.
The international airline confirmed it will operate an initial schedule of three weekly flights with a Boeing 767-300, between June and October. This service will provide Malta with the long-awaited breakthrough into the North American market, including the United States of America and Canada, while further consolidating Malta-USA cultural, economic and people-to-people cooperation.
“This is the gamechanger that we have been working to attain for the last year. It is also an affirmation of the synergy between our tourism and aviation authorities, the Malta International Airport, and the Foreign Ministry, including crucial talks during my high-level meetings in Washington earlier this month,” he explained.
“The new long-haul flights to and from the USA will push us forward in our objective for Malta’s continued shift towards a higher value-added tourism mix, in line with the objectives of the National Tourism Strategy 2030, and the country’s Vision 2050,” Dr Borg added.
Long-haul tourists from North America travelling to European destinations are universally acknowledged for their attractiveness due to their socio-economic profile. They consist primarily of high income, culture seeking travellers for whom Malta and Gozo present a wide range of travel opportunities.
The United States and Canadian tourism markets to Malta have witnessed strong expansion in recent years, following a wider range of connectivity possibilities via the commencement of new services by airlines, together with an enhanced marketing plan for North America by MTA’s representatives in New York.
Malta’s stronger presence in the North American market, as indicated by this milestone announcement by Delta Air Lines, is tangible proof of the tourism authorities’ commitment to grow tourism’s contribution to the economy by affecting shifts in tourism demand streams for Malta.
The Deputy Prime Minister also explained that as part of its wider strategy, the Malta Tourism Authority will also be investing additional funding to support the benefits of this direct transatlantic flight, and other similar opportunities, by re-allocating budgets previously earmarked for sponsorship of music events in summer, to the promotion of culture tourism and its various streams – including religious tourism, heritage tourism, military tourism, art tourism, and culinary tourism, among other areas.
This strategic shift will ensure that destination Malta will be able to achieve the required paradigm shift in its tourism mix, in coming years.
