Direct flights between Malta and New York will begin this June, Foreign and Tourism Minister Ian Borg announced on Tuesday during an event in Vittoriosa.
The service, operated by Delta Air Lines, will connect Malta International Airport with New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The airline will initially run three weekly flights between June and October using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft. Ticket sales open tonight.
“This service marks Malta’s long-awaited breakthrough into the North American market, strengthening ties with both the United States and Canada, while further enhancing cultural, economic, and people-to-people cooperation,” Borg said.
He described the launch as a “game-changer,” highlighting it as the result of year-long efforts involving close collaboration between tourism and aviation authorities, Malta International Airport, and the Foreign Ministry – including high-level talks in Washington earlier this month.
Borg stressed that the new transatlantic route aligns with the National Tourism Strategy 2030 and Malta’s Vision 2050, which aim to attract higher value-added tourism. He also announced that the Malta Tourism Authority will redirect funds from summer music event sponsorships toward promoting cultural and niche tourism, including religious, heritage, military, art, and culinary tourism.
Delta Air Lines, one of the largest U.S. carriers, operates over 4,000 flights daily to 275 destinations in 50 countries. The decision to operate the Malta-New York route comes despite a recent post on the airline’s website, where frequent flyers were invited to vote on whether Delta should serve Malta, Ibiza, or Sardinia. The outcome of that poll was expected later this month.