United Airlines is about to take its commitment to Mallorca to the next level in 2027. The American airline will offer daily direct service between Palma and New York/Newark starting May 27, with seven weekly flights during the season. This initiative establishes, for the first time, a regular long-haul route from Son Sant Joan with flights every day of the week and reinforces the importance of Mallorca within the company’s international strategy.
The seasonal service will begin earlier, on March 29, initially with three weekly flights, according to United sources. Starting May 27, the service will be daily. The airline will operate the route with a Boeing 767-400ER capable of carrying 231 passengers. During peak hours, the service will offer about 3,300 seats each week in both directions. Flights can already be booked through United’s sales channels.
Flights from New York/Newark will depart at 4:20 PM and arrive in Palma the next day. In the opposite direction, flights from Son Sant Joan are scheduled to depart at 10:00 AM.
The expansion is especially significant considering the history of the route. United Airlines began operating in Mallorca in 2022, when it launched the direct service between Palma and Newark. That route became the first long-haul regular service in the history of Mallorca airport, marking a new chapter in the island’s international connectivity.
Since then, the airline has gradually expanded its presence in Mallorca. The route’s growth has also been driven by demand from residents of the Balearic Islands who use the direct connection to travel to New York and other destinations in the North American market.
The increase from three weekly flights at the start of the season to seven from late May represents, in this context, an additional expansion of direct capacity between Mallorca and the United States and allows access to the North American market without the need for a layover at any of the major European airports.
Balears plays an increasingly important role in United’s strategy.
The focus on Palma is part of a broader United strategy in the Balearic Islands. In 2027, the airline will launch a second direct route between the archipelago and New York, this time from Ibiza. The new route will begin operating on May 31, with four weekly flights, and will be operated by an Airbus A321XLR. Thus, United will offer direct connections to New York from the two main tourist islands of the Balearic Islands.
The expansion strengthens the archipelago’s position within the company’s long-haul network, five years after Mallorca became its first gateway to the Balearic Islands.
Furthermore, United’s increased flight frequencies also help solidify Palma’s role in a segment that, until just a few years ago, had a very limited presence at Son Sant Joan. The daily service to New York joins other intercontinental routes announced or already operating from Palma, including those operated by Etihad Airways to Abu Dhabi and by Air Canada to Montreal.
The gradual introduction of long-haul connections is expanding the airport’s catchment area and offering direct access to international markets that previously required connections through other major European airports.
In the case of the United States, the capacity increase is particularly significant given the growth of the North American market in Mallorca. Therefore, United will increase its service from three weekly flights at the start of the season to seven from the end of May.
Five years after United began its service to Newark and ushered in a new era of long-haul scheduled flights from Mallorca, Son Sant Joan will offer a transatlantic service every day of the week during the high season. The transformation of the Palma–New York route into a daily service therefore marks a new turning point in the island’s international connectivity.
