Shortly after removing its flights between New York and Geneva, Delta Air Lines has just announced its next destination in Europe. Beginning in the Summer of 2026, it will connect New York to Porto, Portugal.
Delta is Launching Daily Service Between New York and Porto
Beginning May 21, 2026, Delta will connect its hub at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) in Porto, Portugal. The service will operate daily using three cabin Boeing 767-300 aircraft outfitted with 26 Delta One Business Class, 18 Premium Economy, 21 Extra Legroom Economy, and 151 Economy seats.
This will be the fourth daily flight between the New York area and Porto next summer as United and TAP Air Portugal also fly the route. TAP flies the route 1x daily using Airbus A321neo aircraft and United flies up to 2x daily using Boeing 757 aircraft.
Unlike the Delta service, which operates from New York-JFK, these flights all operate from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey. Delta’s schedule on the 3,322 mile route has not yet been released.
Delta will definitely have the advantage over United and TAP on the route from a product perspective. Both the A321neo and Boeing 757 are narrowbody aircraft with out direct aisle access in Business Class and a 3-3 layout in Economy.
The Delta 767 has Delta One lie flat seats installed (though these are far from the best version) with direct aisle access. The 2-3-2 layout in economy means that only 15% of passengers will be stuck in a middle seat. Business Class passengers departing New York can also access the gorgeous Delta One Lounge at JFK.
Paul Baldoni, Senior Vice President of Network Planning at Delta, said this about the new route:
“Delta’s new nonstop service from JFK to Porto is part of seven new European routes launching next summer, giving customers even more opportunities to experience Europe and enjoy our award-winning service and premium onboard experience,” said Paul Baldoni, Senior Vice President of Network Planning at Delta. “Whether discovering Portugal or traveling to our other new destinations such as Sardinia and Malta, these additions expand choice for our customers and reinforce JFK’s role as a leading global gateway.”
This new route is an interesting adjustment for Delta, especially after recent exits from Brussels and Geneva. There is plenty of competition on the New York-Porto route with up to four daily flights next summer but Delta does have a hard product advantage over United and TAP Air Portugal.
Summary
Delta Air Lines is launching daily service between New York and Porto for the Summer of 2026. There is plenty of competition on the route with TAP Air Portugal and United also flying direct between the New York area and the Portuguese city. Delta will be the only carrier with a direct flight on widebody aircraft, which should give it an advantage over the two Star Alliance members.
(Images courtesy Delta)