Sardinia is set to get a daily US link in summer 2027Sardinia’s first direct flight to the United States has had a strong debut. Between May and October 2026, Delta Air Lines carried more than 32,000 passengers between New York’s JFK airport and Olbia Costa Smeralda airport, according to data from Geasar, the company that runs the airport, as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore.The route, the first nonstop link between New York and the island, operated four times a week and filled up well. The average load factor was around 80 percent, with several flights sold out, according to local reports. For a seasonal transatlantic route launched in its first year, that is a solid result. Delta also recognised the people behind it. After the season, the airline named the Geasar team at Olbia its “Station of the Year” for September, an internal award. The team handled runway operations, baggage and passenger welcome. The airport’s general aviation service had already been recognised as the best in Europe, Geasar says. Two airlines next summer The numbers come as the airport prepares a bigger offer for summer 2027. United Airlines will launch a new nonstop service between Newark and Olbia, using a Boeing 767-300ER. Flights are scheduled three times a week, with the first service leaving Newark on 27 May 2027. According to the airport’s calendar, Olbia to Newark flights (UA 299) leave at 14:00 and arrive at 18:00 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, from 28 May to 22 September. Newark to Olbia flights (UA 298) leave at 21:25 and arrive at 12:00 the next day, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from 27 May to 21 September. Combined with Delta’s four weekly JFK flights, that gives Olbia roughly one nonstop flight a day to the New York area at the peak of summer. Note that the United route still needs government approval, and no Delta dates or times for 2027 have been published yet. Why it matters North America is already a significant market for north-east Sardinia. A study by Cipnes Gallura and the University of Sassari’s Olbia campus (UniOlbia) estimated 141,000 US tourist stays in the 26 municipalities of north-east Gallura in 2024, before the direct flight existed. A nonstop flight removes the connection through another European hub, which can mean the difference between a trip to Italy’s mainland and a week on the Costa Smeralda. For Italians, the route also works the other way. New York is one of the main destinations for travellers heading across the Atlantic, and a summer service from Sardinia saves a transfer in Rome or Milan. Travellers who want to book next year’s United flights can do so on the airline’s website and app, and the airport lists the schedules on its route page. Ph. Fabrizio Schiavon / Shutterstock.com

Sardinia’s first direct flight to the United States has had a strong debut. Between May and October 2026, Delta Air Lines carried more than 32,000 passengers between New York’s JFK airport and Olbia Costa Smeralda airport, according to data from Geasar, the company that runs the airport, as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore. The route, the first nonstop link between New York and the island, operated four times a week and filled up well. The average load factor was around 80 percent, with several flights sold out, according to local reports. For a seasonal transatlantic route launched in its first year, that is a solid result. Delta also recognised the people behind it. After the season, the airline named the Geasar team at Olbia its “Station of the Year” for September, an internal award. The team handled runway operations, baggage and passenger welcome. The airport’s general aviation service had already been recognised as the best in Europe, Geasar says. The numbers come as the airport prepares a bigger offer for summer 2027. United Airlines will launch a new nonstop service between Newark and Olbia, using a Boeing 767-300ER. Flights are scheduled three times a week, with the first service leaving Newark on 27 May 2027. According to the airport’s calendar, Olbia to Newark flights (UA 299) leave at 14:00 and arrive at 18:00 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, from 28 May to 22 September. Newark to Olbia flights (UA 298) leave at 21:25 and arrive at 12:00 the next day, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from 27 May to 21 September. Combined with Delta’s four weekly JFK flights, that gives Olbia roughly one nonstop flight a day to the New York area at the peak of summer. Note that the United route still needs government approval, and no Delta dates or times for 2027 have been published yet. North America is already a significant market for north-east Sardinia. A study by Cipnes Gallura and the University of Sassari’s Olbia campus (UniOlbia) estimated 141,000 US tourist stays in the 26 municipalities of north-east Gallura in 2024, before the direct flight existed. A nonstop flight removes the connection through another European hub, which can mean the difference between a trip to Italy’s mainland and a week on the Costa Smeralda. For Italians, the route also works the other way. New York is one of the main destinations for travellers heading across the Atlantic, and a summer service from Sardinia saves a transfer in Rome or Milan. Travellers who want to book next year’s United flights can do so on the airline’s website and app, and the airport lists the schedules on its route page. Ph. Fabrizio Schiavon / Shutterstock.com