Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Italy–US air travel is experiencing a major boom in 2025 as leading carriers——expand their transatlantic networks with new routes, increased flight frequencies, and upgraded aircraft. In May alone, over 2,700 direct and one-stop flights are scheduled between the two countries, offering more than 734,000 seats and over 3.38 billion available seat miles, representing a 10% year-over-year increase in capacity. This surge reflects rising demand for both leisure and business travel, with airlines responding by launching new connections like United’s Denver–Rome service, enhancing key hubs such as Rome Fiumicino and New York JFK, and adding capacity with widebody fleets including Boeing 787s, Airbus A330s, and A350s.

Italy has emerged as a critical pillar in transatlantic aviation, with its cultural, economic, and historical bonds to the United States fueling a robust network of direct and one-stop flights. As of May 2025, the Italy–US aviation corridor is experiencing significant growth, with over 2,748 scheduled services linking both countries and offering a total of 734,311 seats and more than 3.38 billion available seat miles (ASMs). This represents a surge of over 10% in capacity compared to May 2024, signaling a post-pandemic rebound and booming demand across key leisure and business markets.

United Airlines recently marked a new milestone by launching its inaugural flight between Denver and Rome using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This new addition underscores the airline’s expanding European footprint and joins a long list of routes that have made United a major player in Italy–US travel. United now operates 729 flights between the two countries this May alone, offering 179,330 seats and 839 million ASMs.

United exclusively uses Boeing widebody aircraft on these transatlantic journeys, with the 777-200ER and 767-400ER leading the fleet. Newark–Rome and Washington–Rome remain United’s flagship routes, each seeing twice-daily services, while Newark–Naples exceeds daily frequency. Seasonal and lower-frequency flights also serve cities like Venice and Palermo, showing wide market reach.

Delta Air Lines has taken the top spot in terms of total capacity, operating 760 flights this month and holding a 27.66% share in the Italy–US segment. The airline’s fleet includes a versatile mix of Airbus and Boeing widebodies, with the A330-300, A330-900neo, and Boeing 767-400ER taking center stage.

Delta’s most heavily trafficked route connects New York JFK with Rome Fiumicino, with more than two flights daily. Atlanta–Rome is also a key performer with twice-daily operations. Other connections include Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, and multiple Italian cities—Milan, Venice, Naples, and even Catania—all linked with major US gateways.

American Airlines holds third place in the Italy–US corridor with 553 scheduled flights in May 2025. The airline offers 142,437 seats and 655 million ASMs, utilizing a fleet composed of Boeing 787-8s, 787-9s, and 777-200ERs.

American’s transatlantic strategy is more uniform, with most routes operating on a daily basis. Rome is the airline’s primary Italian destination, receiving flights from major US hubs like Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, JFK, and Philadelphia. Additional routes link Milan Malpensa with JFK and Naples with Philadelphia, demonstrating the importance of both business and leisure travel on these routes.

Representing Italy on the transatlantic stage, ITA Airways is the most prominent non-US airline operating in the market. In May 2025, the carrier has 442 scheduled flights connecting the US with Italy, offering 122,382 seats and 593 million ASMs.

ITA deploys an all-Airbus widebody fleet for its transatlantic flights. The A330-900neo is the most common aircraft, followed by the A330-200 and A350-900. Rome–New York JFK is ITA’s flagship route with three daily round trips. Other destinations served from Rome include Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington Dulles, and San Francisco.

While the major legacy airlines dominate the market, several niche players also contribute to the Italy–US aviation landscape:

Adding an alternative for travelers seeking flexibility, operates a one-stop service between Boston and Milan via Ponta Delgada in the Azores. Using Airbus A321neo aircraft, the airline offers nine round trips in May. The route not only serves as a transatlantic bridge but also highlights the potential of hub-based operations through mid-Atlantic islands.

Italy–US air travel is soaring in 2025 as United, Delta, American, ITA Airways, Norse Atlantic, and others expand routes, boost frequencies, and deploy widebody aircraft to meet growing transatlantic demand. With over 2,700 scheduled flights and a 10% rise in capacity, airlines are responding to strong leisure and business travel recovery between the two nations.

Westbound flights from Milan arrive in Boston in the evening, with eastbound services offering early morning arrivals in Italy. The relatively short layovers in Ponta Delgada make it a practical connection point for travelers looking for less conventional paths between the US and Europe.