United Airlines, who have operated the New York (Newark) to Palma service since 2022, have confirmed that flights in 2026 will be as they were this year. In 2025 the service was May 22 to October 24 and with a 30% increase in seats compared with 2024. The airline considers the increase satisfactory to maintain the same operating conditions in 2026.
Antonio De Toro, United's Country Sales Manager in Spain, says the airline is "very satisfied overall with how the season has gone and, above all, with having put Mallorca on the long-haul map".
For United, the Air Canada service from Montreal to Palma, which will be for four months from June 2026, is strategic in that the airlines form part of the Atlantic Joint Venture, an alliance that includes Lufthansa. Strengthening intercontinental air traffic to the Balearic Islands in particular, and Spain in general, is considered key.
Meanwhile, the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation believes that Etihad's Abu Dhabi-Palma route will become "the gateway to the Asian market". "I'm eager to see how it works," says the federation president, who is confident that both this service and the Montreal route will extend their operating season, as has been the case with United's New York route.
The Balearic Government sees no problem with these services operating in peak season. It maintains that there has been a containment of tourist arrivals in high summer, interpreted as a success of its measures. The long-haul flights ultimately compensate for the declines experienced by traditional markets, notably Germany.
Total US tourism in the Balearics is expected to top 300,000 this year, some 20,000 more visitors than in 2024. Although the US is not among the top ten markets in terms of tourist numbers, the US is in the top six in terms of spending.