Lisbon, Oct. 11, 2024 (Lusa) - There are to be direct flights from Newark airport in New Jersey, in the US, to Faro and Funchal in Portugal from next summer, the country's national tourist board has announced.
The new routes will be operated by US airline United Airlines, with three flights a week between Newark and Funchal between 7 June and 24 September 2025, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and the four weekly flights between Newark and Faro taking place from 16 May to 22 September, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the Turismo de Portugal said in a statement late on Thursday.
Turismo de Portugal emphasised that "with this new route, all [Portugal's] airports now have direct connections to the United States" and the country now has a new route that is "strategic" for its tourism sector.
"This result is the fruit of intense collaboration between Turismo de Portugal, [airport manager] ANA Aeroportos, the Madeira Promotion Association, the Algarve Tourism Association and United Airlines," it said. "It is especially important because of the positive impact it will have on promoting international tourism in Portugal and strengthening air connectivity with a very important and fast-growing market."
The president of Turismo de Portugal, Carlos Abade, is quoted in the statement as saying that "these new routes represent a milestone in air connectivity and in strengthening relations between Portugal and the United States.
"From now on, all [Portugal's] airports will be served by direct routes from the United States, a strategic market with great potential, where Turismo de Portugal is committed to exploring and maximising opportunities,’ said Abade.
The president of Turismo de Portugal emphasised that the US market has seen "remarkable growth" in recent months and that it is making a "positive contribution" to Portugal's tourism sector.
Also on Thursday, United Airlines itself announced the start of operations on two new direct routes between Faro and Funchal airports and Newark in the form of a "non-stop seasonal service" - stressing that it is now the US airline laying on "the most more flights between Portugal and the United States" and that it is now serving "more destinations in Portugal."
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