Delta has officially launched flights between New York and Malta on 7-8 June. The arrival was the first in decades; the last regular direct flights between Malta and the USA were in the 1990s, following a partnership between Air Malta and Balkan Airlines, which saw flights from Sofia to New York with a stop in Malta.
Historic milestone for Malta
Prime Minister Robert Abela has hailed the arrival of Delta Air Lines’ inaugural nonstop flight from New York as a historic milestone for the country. Abela said the service opens a direct bridge for visitors, businesses, investors, students, and families, and represents an opportunity to diversify Malta’s visitor market, attract higher-value tourism, and further position the island as a globally connected economy.
Strong arrival figures and economic strength
In 2025, Malta International Airport welcomed more than 10 million passenger movements for the first time in its history, registering growth of more than 12% on the previous year. Aircraft movement, seat capacity, cargo traffic, and overall connectivity all reached record levels.
In April 2026, Malta welcomed more than one million passengers in a single month for the first time ever, a sign, Abela said, that the island is successfully tackling the challenge of seasonality.
Abela also pointed to broader economic strength, noting that Eurostat figures show Malta’s GDP grew by 4.3% in Q1 of 2026, making it the fastest-growing economy in the European Union. Standard and Poor’s reaffirmed Malta’s credit rating with a stable outlook just recently.
Despite growing international concerns linked to the conflict in the Arabian Gulf and the wider Middle East, Abela said Malta remains fully prepared and resilient, with sufficient gas and fuel supplies secured to safeguard energy needs and ensure the uninterrupted operation of its aviation sector.
Malta chosen by Delta’s staff and customers
Ilse Janssens, general manager of sales for Europe at Delta Air Lines, said the route was driven directly by demand. “We asked our customers and our employees where they would like to go, and Malta came out as a winner,” she said. “We are very happy to bring Americans here and make them familiar with Maltese culture, history, and everything Malta has to offer.”
The new service forms part of Delta’s transatlantic network, which operates around 700 weekly flights to 33 destinations. The airline also recently refreshed its Missoni amenity kits, including a new blue kit named the Malta Coast, a nod, Janssens said, to the island’s waters.
90% of seats occupied on first flight
Malta International Airport chief executive Alan Borg said that the American market had grown significantly in recent years, reaching around 200,000 passengers. “Delta has around a thousand aircraft carrying 160 million passengers, when you are checking your holiday, there is a very good chance Delta will come up, because it is a brand people know,” he said.
Over 90% of the seats on Delta’s first direct flight to Malta were filled, according to the Malta International Airport CEO Alan Borg. Borg said the promising numbers of the first flight should augur well for the months to come, as Malta tries to attract a new more tourists from across the Atlantic.
He described the American market as one that spends significantly more than others and has a strong appetite for Malta’s history, pointing to Valletta and Mdina as particular draws.
With three weekly flights offering flexibility for stays of varying lengths, Borg said the airport was already planning to open discussions after this season on increasing the number of weekly flights and possibly extending the service beyond the summer months.
