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Nonstop flights often decide which European places feel reachable and which stay stuck behind a connection. In 2026, a few new U.S. routes are doing something refreshing: skipping the usual capitals and landing closer to coastlines, wine valleys, and old port cities that rarely top American wish lists. These are not obscure dots on a map. They are simply places that have been inconvenient to reach, until now. With new seasonal service and fresh city pairs, more travelers can arrive rested and start exploring on day one.
Split, Croatia
United is launching seasonal nonstop service from Newark to Split starting Apr. 30, 2026, opening a rare direct lane to Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast without a European hub connection. Split is underrated because many visitors treat it as a pass-through to Hvar or Brač, yet the palace streets, shaded cafés, morning fish market, and quick trips to Trogir and Krka National Park reward a few unhurried days. A nonstop arrival changes the mood: fewer luggage handoffs, earlier check-ins, and more daylight for a first walk along the Riva and Marjan Hill, while locals are still out for their evening stroll instead of hunting for a gate number in transit.
Bari, Italy
United is adding seasonal nonstop flights from Newark to Bari starting May 1, 2026, billed as the only U.S. nonstop to the city, and a direct doorway into Puglia. Bari stays underrated next to Rome and Amalfi, yet its old town lanes, Adriatic waterfront, and quick rail links to Alberobello’s trulli, Lecce’s baroque streets, and seaside Polignano a Mare make it a strong base. Direct service also improves the first day: less transit fatigue, earlier hotel check-ins, and enough time for the evening passeggiata and a plate of hand-made orecchiette before the region’s beaches and hill towns pull attention outward the next morning, without rushing.
Porto, Portugal
Delta is launching its first-ever daily nonstop flight from New York-JFK to Porto beginning May 21, 2026, giving northern Portugal a direct U.S. link that used to require a connection through Lisbon, Madrid, or London. Porto stays underrated because Lisbon gets the spotlight, yet the city’s azulejo-covered churches, iron bridges, riverfront cellars, and quick escapes to the Douro Valley, Braga, and Guimarães feel intimate rather than staged. A nonstop arrival also fits shorter breaks: travelers can land, drop bags, and reach the Ribeira, or Foz do Douro for a late dinner and a glass of vinho verde before jet lag turns the lights out for good.
Olbia, Sardinia, Italy
Delta is adding seasonal nonstop service from New York-JFK to Olbia, Sardinia, starting May 20, 2026, a direct shot to an island that usually demands at least one European connection. Olbia is underrated because Sardinia is often marketed as a resort brand, yet the real draw is the mix of quiet coves, granite headlands, and inland villages, plus day trips to La Maddalena’s beaches and ancient nuraghe sites. With a nonstop flight, the first morning can be spent on the Costa Smeralda or on a backroad into Gallura, instead of in transit, and even a one-week trip can feel unhurried and surprisingly local with fewer connections and less waiting.
Malta
Delta is launching nonstop service from New York-JFK to Malta starting June 7, 2026, making the island’s crossroads history reachable without a connection through Europe. Malta is underrated because it is often skipped between Italy and Greece, yet Valletta’s fortifications, harbor ferries, and nearby Mdina and Gozo offer a compact mix of beaches, baroque streets, diving coves, and prehistoric temples. A direct flight also improves the rhythm of a short trip: arrivals can settle in, watch golden light hit limestone at dusk, and still have room for day trips and slow dinners, without feeling like the schedule is all airports and long layovers.