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Exciting: Direct Budapest-New York flight announced but with a twist
LOT Polish Airlines has announced a special one-time charter flight connecting Budapest and New York-JFK, scheduled to depart on 25 May 2025. This unique service will be operated using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, offering travellers a rare opportunity for direct travel between the two cities.
Key details about the flight
According to AIRportal.hu, the following should be noted about the one-time flight:
- Flight number: LO 1006
- Departure time: 8:35 PM (local time) from Budapest
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
This flight is not part of a regular schedule but is a one-way charter service, meaning it will only operate on this specific date without a return leg or plans for future flights on this route.
Demand for regular Budapest-New York flights
Although LOT Polish Airlines previously operated regular direct flights between Budapest and New York, these services were discontinued and have not resumed.
Currently, there are no scheduled direct flights between the two cities.
The upcoming charter flight is therefore an exceptional event rather than a sign of the route’s permanent revival.
The news has generated mixed emotions among aviation enthusiasts and travellers. While many are excited about the opportunity for direct travel, the lack of plans for regular service resumption leaves some longing for more consistent connectivity between Budapest and New York.
For those planning to take advantage of this unique flight, tickets are expected to be in high demand due to the flight’s exclusivity.
At the same time, negotiations are underway concerning the resumption of a scheduled, direct Budapest-New York flight: read more HERE.
So our Politicians ties with the Mr. Trumps US are so tight – “investment!”, “trust!”, “Christian Values!” – but not enough for a periodic direct flight? Quite telling, is it not?
One will eventually materialise, as it first did 3 decades ago. But, there are many hurdles. Airlines are lacking wide bodied airframes so target the highest margin routes with the ones they’ve got. Despite the lack of competition, margin will be lacking on a direct US-Hungary flight in part due to the small size of the Hungarian market, but the more important factor is the relative poverty of Hungarian consumers, virtually none of whom can afford to visit the US. Hungary is jostling for the ignominious title of the EU’s poorest country on a PPP basis and has by far the lowest consumption of goods and services in the EU adjusted on the same basis. A holiday in the US is an unthinkable luxury for 97% of Hungarians.
This flight would have plenty of demand and relevant margin- specifically from the American Jewish community many of whom have Hungarian family and/or ancestry or those wanting to come in for various pilgrimages/European Jewish heritage trips, and those looking for a European destination where they don’t need to worry about rampant antisemitism.
Direct service will resume using the new A321 XLR narrow-body aircraft that have the range, efficiency and lower capacity to justify such service.
Budapest to New York would be great but isn’t within the range of the 321XLR for safe commercial flights.