United Airlines: First Direct Flight New York To Málaga Arrives On The Costa Del Sol

Thursday, June 1 saw the arrival of the first United Airlines flight from New York to Málaga on the Costa del Sol in Spain. This was the first of the direct flights planned for the route, operating three times a week until September 28, 2023.

New York to Málaga direct flight with United Airlines

The arrival of the first United Airlines flight from New York to Málaga, Spain is excellent news on both sides of the world. There was much celebration at the airport on Thursday as the first direct flight in four years finally touched down. The flight departed from Newark Airport on Wednesday, May 31 at around 5:55 pm New York time and landed in Málaga at 7:25 am on Thursday.

The route was suspended by Delta Airlines in 2019, but now United Airlines will offer four months of direct flights between the two cities, running three times a week.

About the first direct flight

The Boeing 757-200 carried 169 passengers, 16 of which were in United Airlines’ famed Polaris class. Meanwhile, the airline celebrated the first flight with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in terminal C of Newark Airport.

Meanwhile, passengers received a warm reception as the plane touched down in Málaga, some minutes ahead of schedule.

United Airlines’ New York to Málaga schedule

The new United Airlines route is set to operate three days a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays up through September 28, 2023. Meanwhile, the first departure of the Málaga to New York route left on June 2, at 9:40 am.

✈️ El primer vuelo de @united Airlines que conecta #Málaga con #NuevaYork ha aterrizado en la capital esta mañana pic.twitter.com/yvkTO2biM6

— Ayuntamiento de Málaga (@malaga) June 1, 2023

In total, the US airline will offer over 17,000 seats over that period in both directions and 52 return flights are already scheduled.

Benefits to the Costa del Sol in Andalucía

Meanwhile, the new direct flights between New York and Málaga are expected to bring a major tourism boost to Andalucía. A recent report by Turismo Costa del Sol on US travelers revealed that in 2022, the city’s hotels and vacation rental properties received 146,905 USA travelers.

Reportedly this makes it the eighth most important international market for Málaga province. Those travelers benefited the region with 405,347 overnight stays, just 13 percent less than before the COVID pandemic. In fact, nights booked by American travelers in 2022 represented 30.6 percent of the number of nights booked in Andalucía.

Plans to extend the United Airways route

However, the airline’s boss told SUR (in Spanish), “We don’t want the Málaga – New York route to just be a summer love affair,” so hopefully there will be more.

The city’s mayor, Francisco de la Torre explained that there are ongoing talks about extending the direct connection with New York beyond the summer of 2023. In fact, he is already planning talks with United Airlines officials to promote the city as an all-year-round destination, saying:

We do not want to be exclusive, but this route is useful to not only Málaga city, but to the coast, to the province of Málaga, to Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla, it is at the service of the rest of Andalucía.

The region of Andalucía is remarkable for its endless beaches stretching down the Costa del Sol. However, its historic cities are also a major draw, especially Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla with their iconic Moorish monuments. Meanwhile, the new direct flight will also benefit Spanish travelers, now able to make a direct flight to the Big Apple.