Commencing in June of the upcoming year, citizens of Romania will once again have the opportunity to journey to the United States directly from Bucharest, marking the end of a hiatus lasting over 20 years without direct air travel to the Big Apple.
HiSky has made available tickets for the Bucharest-New York route, with the inaugural flight slated for Friday, June 7th, 2024. This advancement follows the recent approval granted by the U.S. Department of Transportation to HiSky, permitting the airline to conduct regular flights to this destination, thereby establishing itself as the sole Romanian carrier concurrently holding a Foreign Air Carrier Permit and possessing an aircraft capable of uninterrupted flights of up to 14 hours.
On a routine basis, flights linking Henri Coandă Airport in Bucharest to New York’s primary airport, John F. Kennedy, will operate four times weekly, departing from Romania on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. HiSky’s flights are scheduled to depart Bucharest at 8:00 local time and arrive in New York at 11:25 local time, rendering the transatlantic expedition slightly over 10 hours. For return flights, the aircraft is scheduled to depart JFK at 13:25 local time and land in Otopeni at 6:15 local time. Tickets are accessible in two service classes, with prices commencing at 349 euros for economy and 1899 euros for business class. Additionally, onboard catering is available, offering a hot meal and a snack included in the ticket price for every passenger.
Starting June [2024], New York will once again be listed on Otopeni Airport’s Departures-Arrivals board. This is a significant milestone for HiSky and even more so for Romania and all passengers wishing to travel across the ocean without stopovers or time wasted at other airports. The USA is now a viable travel option for the first time since air travel became accessible to everyone. We are delighted to be the ones paving this way. Three years ago, when we began operations, we aimed to be the primary choice for Romanian passengers. We’ve proven our worth through thousands of flights across Europe, and now we’re excited to give them this gift right before the holidays.
Iulian Scorpan, CEO of HiSky
The Bucharest Otopeni – New York JFK flights will be conducted utilizing an Airbus A330-200, the inaugural wide-body aircraft of HiSky and the sole one of its kind registered in Romania. Having recently arrived in Bucharest, this aircraft empowers the airline to provide non-stop service over this considerable distance. En route, travellers can access a plethora of multimedia content via the aircraft’s entertainment system.
Since the establishment of its hub in Bucharest a year and a half prior, Henri Coandă Airport has emerged as the primary operational stronghold of HiSky. Departing from Bucharest, HiSky administers eight routine international routes to Brussels, Barcelona, Malaga, Dublin, Chișinău, Bordeaux, Tel Aviv, and Frankfurt, in addition to two domestic routes connecting to Cluj Napoca and Timișoara. Within Romania, HiSky also orchestrates regular flights from Iași, Baia Mare, Cluj Napoca, and Timișoara airports, alongside charter flights in collaboration with leading travel agencies. HiSky holds the fourth position among airlines operating in Romania in terms of passenger numbers.