Why These Popular Cities Still Don’t Have Direct Flights from JFK

Why These Popular Cities Still Don’t Have Direct Flights from JFK

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is one of the busiest international gateways in the United States, connecting travelers to destinations across Africa, Europe, and Asia. With increasing demand for long-haul flights, JFK serves as a crucial hub for non-stop international travel, especially to India and other parts of Asia.

Despite its extensive network, several major global cities remain unserved from JFK, forcing passengers to take connecting flights through other hubs. This article explores the top 10 long-haul routes from JFK that currently lack direct flights, highlighting the potential for future service expansion.

JFK’s Growing International Network

JFK will serve over 85 long-haul destinations in 2025, with new additions like Bari and Catania in Italy. Recent years have seen a strong focus on Southern European expansion, with cities like Bucharest, Naples, Palermo, and Porto added in 2024.

While JFK continues to expand its global reach, several high-demand routes remain without direct service. Many of these are major Asian cities, pushing out European destinations like Hamburg, Marseille, Düsseldorf, and Lyon from the top 10 unserved markets.

Top 10 Unserved Long-Haul Routes from JFK

The following table ranks the largest unserved long-haul routes based on annual roundtrip passenger demand, with all passengers currently flying via a connecting hub.

Annual Roundtrip Passengers	New York JFK to/from	Comments
164,600	Dhaka	Biman Bangladesh previously operated this route. Service could resume if Bangladesh’s safety status is upgraded to Category 1.
107,500	Bangkok	Thai Airways served JFK until 2008 and Newark until 2009.
102,800	Tirana	Has never had direct service from JFK.
87,400	Ahmedabad	No direct flights, despite high demand from Indian travelers.
85,300	Hyderabad	Air India briefly operated a one-way service via Mumbai in 2009-2010.
79,900	Ho Chi Minh City	No direct flights from JFK.
74,400	Lahore	Pakistan International Airlines served JFK until 2017 but cannot resume flights until Pakistan regains Category 1 safety status.
73,300	Bengaluru	Another major Indian city without a direct JFK connection.
72,200	Florence/Pisa	Delta previously served Pisa until 2016, but Florence’s short runway limits flight operations.
72,500	Budapest	Several airlines, including Malev, Delta, American, and LOT Polish, have attempted this route in the past, but no carrier currently operates it.

Challenges in Launching New Routes

While there is strong passenger demand for these routes, launching long-haul services comes with challenges. Some key issues include:

1. Low Premium Traffic

Many of these routes primarily cater to visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and leisure travelers, leading to lower revenue per seat. Airlines prefer routes with a higher share of business and premium passengers to ensure profitability.

2. Traffic Rights & Regulations

Certain destinations, like Dhaka and Lahore, face restrictions due to their home countries’ aviation safety status. Until these issues are resolved, airlines cannot operate direct flights to JFK.

3. Seasonal Demand

Some routes, like Budapest and Florence/Pisa, experience strong seasonal demand but lack consistent year-round traffic. Airlines may hesitate to launch routes that are only profitable during peak seasons.

4. Yield & Ticket Prices

Even with high passenger volumes, airlines need sustainable fares to cover operating costs. For example, the average JFK-Dhaka one-way fare was $844, while JFK-Edinburgh, which is much shorter, averaged $971—indicating pricing challenges for longer routes.

Will Budapest Return to JFK’s Route Map?

Budapest has seen multiple attempts at direct JFK service, but no airline has maintained it long-term. Despite an annual roundtrip demand of 72,500 passengers, past airlines like Malev, Delta, and LOT Polish struggled to make the route financially viable.

One key issue is pricing—while JFK to Prague is only 7% shorter than JFK-Budapest, fares on the Prague route are 18% higher. This price gap makes it difficult for airlines to sustain Budapest service profitably.

However, Budapest remains a strong summer market, and a seasonal flight could be a potential solution. With the right airline and aircraft, the route may see a return in the future.

JFK continues to be a major hub for long-haul international flights, but several high-demand routes remain unserved. Cities like Dhaka, Bangkok, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Budapest show strong potential for new flights, but challenges like low premium demand, regulatory restrictions, and seasonal variations make direct service uncertain.

As international travel demand grows and airline strategies evolve, some of these routes may eventually see direct connections from JFK. Until then, passengers will have to rely on connecting flights through other hubs.