Antonio De Toro is the Regional Sales Chief for United Airlines in Spain and Portugal, a position he assumed in 2026 after having served for many years as the company’s head of sales for the Spanish market. With over 28 years of experience in the aviation industry, he oversees the airline’s commercial strategy in both countries and has been a key figure in United’s expansion in Spain, driving routes such as direct connections between Palma, Bilbao, and Santiago de Compostela and New York. He also chairs the association Visit USA Spain, dedicated to promoting travel between Spain and the United States. With the tourist season in full swing, he reviews the performance of the Palma-New York route, which was launched in 2022, and analyzes international factors affecting global demand.
Would you say that the Palma–New York route is already well established?
This year marks the fourth anniversary of United’s seasonal nonstop service between Palma de Mallorca and Newark, New Jersey. This service remains the only direct flight between Mallorca and the United States. Our customers in Mallorca can benefit from an unparalleled route network from our New York hub, from which United flies to nearly 120 destinations in the Western Hemisphere.
How does it compare to other Spanish cities like Málaga or Bilbao?
Mallorca is a key destination within United’s network in Spain. We are pleased with the performance of our flights in Spain so far and look forward to seeing how the Spanish market develops. With the recent launch of the new nonstop flight between Santiago de Compostela and New York for summer 2026, United operates up to nine daily nonstop flights from Spain to the United States, connecting six destinations in Spain, more than any other U.S. airline. This new route is the first scheduled service between Santiago de Compostela and the United States and demonstrates the importance of Spain within United’s global network. We are proud to be the airline opening the door to new and exciting travel destinations for our customers and all the benefits this brings to local economies.
What are the growth forecasts compared to last year? Are reservations increasing?
The route continues to meet our expectations. Last year we announced an expansion, with a 57% increase in seat capacity for summer 2025 compared to the previous season and a one-month extension of the season. Since the route was launched in 2022, United has increased total seat capacity by more than 95%, thanks to a longer operating season, increased flight frequencies, and the replacement of Boeing 767-300 aircraft with Boeing 767-400s, which is the aircraft currently operating the route.
Is the current geopolitical situation having a significant impact on demand?
For now, Spain remains an ideal destination for travelers, especially for North Americans. United believes that the transatlantic market is currently strong and growing. As the leader in transatlantic flights from the U.S., United is maintaining this momentum by offering flights to a total of 44 transatlantic destinations in 2026 and nearly 770 weekly transatlantic return flights in the summer of 2026.
Will the Palma–Montreal route deplete the reserves of the Mallorca–New York route?
The truth is that demand for United’s New York–Palma service remains high. We’re seeing continued growth in Palma and we’re confident in the performance of our route.
Would they continue operating in the same way in 2027?
We don’t have any information to share yet about our operational plans for next year.
What are the chances of a new route to Washington? Is it feasible to operate year-round flights?
We continue to monitor demand and our capacity to expand the range of services we offer in Spain from other United hubs. United currently operates more destinations in Spain than any other U.S. airline, including Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Bilbao, and, this year, Santiago de Compostela.
