HiSky expands US network with Bucharest–Chicago direct flights from June 2026

HiSky will launch direct flights between Bucharest and Chicago in June 2026, expanding its transatlantic network two years after introducing its New York route. The service resumes a direct link suspended 24 years ago, the company said.

The new route will be operated twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays, with the first flight scheduled for June 4.

The Bucharest–Chicago flight will take 10 hours and 50 minutes westbound and 9 hours and 50 minutes on the return.

The move makes HiSky the only airline to operate both nonstop connections between Romania and the United States, strengthening Bucharest’s role as a regional hub for North America.

The airline said the route will also serve passengers from across Romania, Moldova, and Israel through its connection system, with schedules aligned to enable fast transfers and baggage checked through to final destinations.

“What some called risk, we called vision, and it turns out we were right. Two years ago, we trusted in our passengers’ need to travel quickly, safely, and comfortably across the ocean, and we embraced this role of pioneers. After the results of the first year of operations on the New York route, with the same confidence, we are ready to become the airline that operates both direct connections with the US,” said Iulian Scorpan, CEO of HiSky.

HiSky, founded in 2021, has grown into Romania’s second-largest airline by passenger numbers. The company surpassed 5 million passengers this year and operates a fleet of eight Airbus aircraft serving destinations across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Africa.

In 2024, the airline launched its first transatlantic route to New York, offering five weekly frequencies from Henri Coandă International Airport.

(Photo source: HiSky)