The 234-seater Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft operating the route features Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes. Flights depart from Budapest at 10:05 a.m. local time and arrive in Philadelphia at 1:30 p.m. On the return leg, they take off from the U.S. at 5:30 p.m. and land in the Hungarian capital at 8:10 a.m. the next morning.
The route was first launched in May 2018 and operated for two summers until it was suspended in 2020 due to COVID flight restrictions. It had been held on pause ever since, waiting for demand and passenger numbers to return.
At the airport ceremony on May 22 marking the arrival of the first flight from the United States, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Caroline Savage (the ranking diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest in the absence of a Senate-appointed ambassador) spoke of celebrating “a milestone that brings our two countries closer together.”
Savage said the flight represented “a brand-new bridge between the United States and Hungary, a conduit that will carry not just passengers, but also ideas, innovation, and immense economic potential back and forth across the Atlantic.”
The direct route means tighter supply chains, more accessible markets, and streamlined avenues for foreign direct investment. For business leaders on both sides of the Atlantic, it represents new partnerships, new contracts, and new jobs, she said.
“This flight also represents the lifeblood of the travel and tourism industry. Every American passenger who steps off this flight brings their curiosity, hopefully their purchasing power, and their eagerness to experience the rich heritage, culinary excellence, and vibrant culture of Budapest,” Savage said.
The bridge is bidirectional: the route also opens a new, seamless corridor for European travelers to discover the diverse landscapes, iconic cities, and hospitality of the United States.
The Chargé d’Affaires said it was fitting that the flight originated from Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love,” where the United States declared its independence 250 years ago. Philadelphia is also a city with rich, historical cultural connections to Hungary, primarily driven by early 20th-century immigration, she noted.
Famously, Mihály Kováts helped establish America’s first Continental cavalry force as Colonel Commandant of Polish nobleman Casimir Pulaski’s Legion, authorized by the Continental Congress in 1778. Kováts was responsible for recruiting, organizing, drilling, and training the cavalry using Hungarian hussar tactics. Seventy-five years later, in late December 1851, Lajos Kossuth was greeted by enthusiastic crowds in Philadelphia before meeting with officials at Independence Hall and delivering a historic speech to raise funds for Hungarian independence.
The Industrial Revolution also brought Hungarians to the United States, many arriving first at Philadelphia’s Pier 53. In the first half of the 20th century, many Hungarian scientists and musicians found welcome at Philadelphia’s University of Pennsylvania and Curtis Institute of Music, Savage said.
During the 1956 Revolution, the primary military intake center for Hungarian refugees to the States was Camp Kilmer, in nearby New Jersey, so Philadelphia became the immediate first destination for thousands of “Fifty-Sixers.”
“May this route thrive, may our mutual economies continue to prosper, and may the enduring friendship between our nations continue to soar,” Savage concluded at what she said was “the beginning of a fantastic new journey.”
According to the operator, Budapest Airport, the resumed air service can further strengthen Budapest’s position in the MICE travel market. American Airlines will provide nearly 60,000 seats between the two cities this summer, it said. Philadelphia offers excellent connecting options for passengers traveling to other destinations in North America and the Caribbean.
“We are proud that years of persistent preparatory work have now yielded tangible results, and we are delighted to welcome American Airlines, one of the United States’ most important carriers, back among our partners,” commented François Berisot, the CEO of Budapest Airport, part of the Vinci Airports network.
“The resumption of the direct flight to Philadelphia is of paramount importance, not only for Hungarian tourism and the economy, but also for Budapest Airport; the Hungarian capital has returned to the map of transatlantic airlines. We are committed to further expanding Budapest’s connectivity and rebuilding the airport’s transatlantic route network, which provided direct access to several North American destinations before the pandemic,” he emphasized.
José A. Freig, vice president of international and inflight dining operations at American Airlines, was equally delighted. “Our customers are increasingly looking for exciting destinations that offer something new and different from what they can experience back home. For some, this is crystal clear waters; for others, it is history, culture and a cosmopolitan experience offered by cities such as Budapest,” he said.
“With this new route, our customers in Hungary will also have access to one of our fastest-growing U.S. hubs in Philadelphia, from where they can explore more than 100 destinations in the U.S and beyond,” Freig added.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of July 3, 2026.
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