Americans Can Fly Nonstop To These 3 Lesser Known Mediterranean Destinations In 2026

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Enough with the Barcelonas, Amalfis, and Santorinis of the world.

If you are dreaming of a Mediterranean getaway in 2026, however you’ve got had it with the standard over-promoted, over-commercialized tourism hotspots the place costs have gone by means of the roof, the crowds are insane, and locals aren’t even that good to you, we have got simply the triad which may save your subsequent journey.

Oh, and guess what! You do not even have to hop on and off planes two or 3 times to get there: they are going to be internet hosting nonstop flights from main New York Metropolitan airports this yr.

So how does pasta and a few silky purple wine overlooking the serene Adriatic sound?

Bari, Italy

A significant port metropolis on the Adriatic Sea, Bari began internet hosting nonstop Transatlantic flights in summer season 2025, after Italy-based Neos launched the first-ever direct service between JFK and the native Karol Wojtyła Airport.

This yr, it is beefing up the supply due to United Airlines’ newly-announced direct service from Newark (EWR), strengthening the connectivity between the broader New York area and the up-and-coming Italian hub.

Bari itself is house to one of the biggest historic facilities in Southern Italy: the labyrinthine Bari Vecchia is criss-crossed by cobble-paved alleys and dotted with Romanesque church buildings.

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On Via Arco Basso, vacationers can watch as chatty nonne make orecchiette, the native ear-shaped pasta, and strolling alongside Lungomare Nazario Sauro, the nation’s longest seafront promenade, they may discover epic Adriatic views and family-owned trattorie dispensing Italian delicacies.

Bari can also be the gateway to the broader Puglia area, with its whitewashed cities clinging to dramatic cliffsides, the UNESCO-listed trulli city of Alberobello, and pebbly seashores hugged by turquoise waters.

Sardinia, Italy

Everyone is aware of Sicily for its paradisiacal seashores, historical cities, and White Lotus-esque coastal resorts, however what number of of you’ve got been sleeping on the equally gorgeous, subtropical Sardinia all alongside?

Italy’s second-largest island is filled with Caribbean-like white sands, bounded by a number of the clearest seas you’ve got ever seen, and its pastel-colored, fortified coastal cities appear to have come straight out of the pages of a storybook.

Despite its clear summery attraction, Sardinia had never been serviced by a U.S. airline, but from this yr onwards, Delta is taking on the unexplored, but promising route, and launching the inaugural New York-Sardinia flights.

More particularly, they are going to be carrying passengers from their JFK hub to Olbia (OLB) in northern Sardinia.

An fascinating selection given that the Sardinian capital, the colourful Cagliari, is an entire 159 miles away, however one which makes whole sense contemplating Olbia’s proximity to the Costa Smeralda, house to one of the best seashores, and the pristine Maddalena archipelago.

Split, Croatia

Following their profitable Dubrovnik service, about to enter its sixth yr in 2026, United thought it becoming to develop their Croatia supply and add a classy Split to their flight map.

A much-larger metropolis than Dubrovnik, and one of many fastest-rising locations within the Mediterranean basin, with a rising variety of American guests yr after yr, it has been (oddly) ignored by Transatlantic operators for years.

Well, not anymore.

Starting as early as April 30, 2026, Americans will have the ability to fly direct to Split (SPU) from Newark, and marvel at its UNESCO-protected Diocletian’s Palace and maze-like Old Town with out pointless layovers in Frankfurt and different European transit hubs.

Split is thought for its historical Roman historical past, proximity to lovely Adriatic seashores, and busy port boasting connections to islands like Brač and Hvar, the place extra untouched swimming spots and historical tradition await.