The rebuilding of transatlantic aerial connections has reached a milestone; American Airlines has resumed its Budapest-Philadelphia flight, meaning that one of the carrier once again connects Hungary with the U.S.
The resumed air service, operated with a Boeing 787-8 , meets the needs of both leisure and business travelers, and can further strengthen Budapest’s position in MICE travel market, Budapest Airport says.
The flight will operate daily between Ferenc Liszt International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport from May 22-October 5 2026. The 234-seater Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft depart from Budapest at 10:05 a.m. local time and arrive in Philadelphia at 1:30 p.m. On the return leg, they take off from the U.S. city at 5:30 p.m. and land in the Hungarian capital at 8:10 a.m. the next morning. The aircraft features Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes.
With the resumption of this service, American Airlines will provide nearly 60,000 seats between the two cities this summer and offers excellent connecting options in Philadelphia for passengers traveling to other destinations in North America and the Caribbean. The return of this direct flight from Budapest is not only another milestone, but also the restoration of a long-awaited aerial connection. More than 630,000 air passengers traveled between Hungary and the United States in 2025.
François Berisot, the CEO of Budapest Airport, part of the Vinci Airports network, emphasized: “We are proud that years of persistent preparatory work have now yielded tangible results, and we are delighted to welcome American Airlines, one of the United States’ most important carriers, back among our partners. “
“The resumption of the direct flight to Philadelphia is of paramount importance, not only for Hungarian tourism and the economy, but also for Budapest Airport; the Hungarian capital has returned to the map of transatlantic airlines. We are committed to further expanding Budapest’s connectivity and rebuilding the airport’s transatlantic route network, which provided direct access to several North American destinations before to the pandemic,” he added.
“Our customers are increasingly looking for exciting destinations that offer something new and different to what they can experience back home. For some, this is crystal clear waters, for others it is history, culture and a cosmopolitan experience offered by cities such as Budapest,” said José A. Freig, vice president – International and Inflight Dining Operations for American Airlines. “With this new route, our customers in Hungary will also have access to one of our fastest-growing U.S. hubs in Philadelphia, from where they can explore more than 100 destinations in the U.S and beyond.”
During American’s summer travel period, which runs from 21 May through 8 September, the airline expects to welcome 75 million customers across 750,000 flights, smashing its previous record set in 2019. The summer kicks off with the Memorial Day weekend, when American expects to welcome more than 4.2 million customers across more than 40,000 flights, from 21 May 21 through 26 May. The most traveled day that weekend is Friday 22 May.
Bookings for the 2026 summer season are available for purchase on the American Airlines website and in its mobile application, as well as through official travel partners.
