Another direct flight set to soar from Budapest Airport to the United States this summer

Hot on the heels of new routes to Philadelphia and Toronto, Budapest Airport is poised to gain yet another direct transatlantic link this summer, courtesy of sleek, next-generation airliners.

Two Transtatlantic flights from Budapest Airport already ensured

We reported back in October on the rapid-fire announcements of direct flights from the Hungarian capital to Philadelphia and Toronto, with New York swiftly joining the fray for this summer. American Airlines will handle the Philadelphia run, while Air Canada takes Toronto. The inaugural services are slated to lift off in May and June respectively.

Uzbekistan’s private carrier, Qanot Sharq, signalled its intentions last year by applying for approval to fly to the United States, with Budapest Airport as the key stopover. That means passengers could board its New York-bound jets right here in the Hungarian capital, swelling the tally of direct transatlantic options from two to three come summer.

Uzbek airline set to launch another direct US-Budapest Airport flight

According to the aviation news Facebook page Budflyer, the Uzbek airline has this week secured the green light for New York flights via Budapest Airport. They’ll deploy their shiny new Airbus A321XLR—the very model Hungarian low-cost rival Wizz Air once eyed for long-haul jaunts to southeast Asia and India, before scrapping most plans to focus on eastern Europe. The route? Tashkent-Budapest-New York.

No word yet on the first departure date or frequency. Still, Hungarian travellers have long clamoured for a direct Budapest-New York hop—though the seemingly locked-in Philadelphia and Toronto links are no small consolation. Poland’s LOT once flew the route, but that service touched down for good in 2023.

Passengers’ scepticism

Scepticism lingers among local passengers, however, thanks to Qanot Sharq’s chequered history. They’ve twice launched direct Tashkent-Budapest flights, only to ground them after mere months. New York might prove a bigger draw from Tashkent than Budapest ever was. Budflyer also flags the airline’s short-lived Tashkent-London Gatwick service, hastily shelved.

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