United Airlines will operate the direct flight from Malaga to New York only during the summer of 2027

Although the sector had been hopeful that this route – the only one linking Andalucía with the United States – would become a year-round service in 2027, the airline has opted to expand its network of destinations in Spain. United’s plans include adding direct flights from Ibiza and Valencia for the next peak season. These destinations will be served by the new A321XLR aircraft, the ‘Born to Explore’, which features reclining seats in United Polaris and Economy Plus seats offering extra space and an empty middle seat, according to the airline. With these new routes, United will offer direct service to eight destinations in Spain from the US (more than any other airline), marking the largest expansion of its international network in the airline’s history.

Antonio de Toro, United Airlines’ head of sales for Spain and Portugal, downplayed the fact that Malaga will not be extending its New York service to operate year-round. He said the airline is satisfied with the results of the route, which will remain operational until the end of September.

“The daily, direct connection between Malaga and New York is an established route that is meeting the expectations we set. We are pleased with the response,” he said, adding that he hopes new strategies can be adopted as new aircraft are delivered.

It is reported that the flight schedule for Malaga in 2027 will be similar to this year’s. It is worth noting that United Airlines began operating daily flights between the Costa del Sol and New York on 2 May. This is the fourth season of a service that will run until the end of September, during which, the American airline has made 51,000 seats available, a figure representing a 280 per cent increase on that of 2023 and the same as in 2024. “This route is working a treat. 30 per cent of sales for this flight have been made in Spain, which is a higher percentage than for any of United Airlines’ other routes in the country. The flight is proving very popular with Spanish travellers,” said De Toro.

De Toro highlighted United Airlines’ commitment to Spain with a significant expansion of its network, featuring two new direct flights: a seasonal service operating four times a week between Ibiza Airport and Newark Airport, starting on 1 June 2027, and another seasonal service operating three times a week between Valencia Airport and the same airport in New York, starting on 3 June 2027, both subject to government approval.

“United’s new routes from Ibiza and Valencia will be operated using the airline’s newest international aircraft: the A321XLR ‘Born to Explore’. When passengers board United’s Airbus, they’ll find a single-aisle aircraft designed to enhance the international travel experience for all travellers. New features include a United Polaris suite with a privacy door, free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members, 4K OLED screens with Bluetooth connectivity, a snack bar area in United Economy, and new Economy Plus seats with more elbow room and access to a shared table thanks to a free central seat. United expects to be the only major US airline to offer this seating option,” the company said.

These two new routes will complement the year-round daily flights that United already operates from Madrid and Barcelona to Newark, the nearly year-round flights from both cities to Washington Dulles, the seasonal services from Barcelona to Chicago O’Hare and San Francisco, and to flights from Santiago de Compostela, Bilbao, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca to New York. “United will operate up to nine direct daily services from Spain to the US, serving six destinations in Spain: more than any other US airline,” the airline said.

The company said that the new routes from Spain “form part of the largest international expansion of United’s network in the company’s history, with ten new international cities and three additional routes across Europe and Asia”. It announced that, from March 2027, the airline will fly to around ten new international cities on these continents, including eight to which no other US airline currently operates services. It added that United’s newest international aircraft “will drive the airline’s international growth in the summer of 2027 by operating the new services to Ibiza, Luxembourg, Marseille, Toulouse and Valencia”.

While United is expanding its horizons, the Costa del Sol’s tourism sector remains hopeful that the establishment of a direct, daily flight from Malaga to New York will lead to a permanent, year-round connection "sooner rather than later". At the same time, it said that talks are ongoing with other airlines to secure new routes to the US, with cities such as Miami or Atlanta – major US air transport hubs – under consideration.