After 36 years, Slovenia is set to regain a direct air connection with the United States, with United Airlines planning to launch regular flights between Ljubljana and New York in May 2027. The route will connect Ljubljana Airport with Newark four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The return of a direct connection is expected to make travel between Slovenia and the United States easier and could also attract more passengers to Ljubljana Airport. The flights will be operated by a Boeing 767 400ER with 231 seats.
The biggest question for travelers, however, is the price. The cheapest return ticket is expected to cost around €750 and will include a small cabin bag. Passengers looking for additional comfort will have to pay considerably more. A seat offering extra legroom could cost around €2,000, while a premium seat that converts into a fully flat bed and includes additional benefits could cost more than €4,600. This means the new direct route will offer convenience, but travelers who want a more comfortable journey will face a significant increase in the price.
The flight itself is expected to take between nine and ten hours, depending on wind conditions. Fraport Slovenija’s business director Jürgen Deischl said the new route could bring around 40,000 additional passengers to Ljubljana Airport. The direct connection could therefore have an impact beyond individual travelers, strengthening Ljubljana’s position as an international airport and potentially making Slovenia more attractive to American visitors. It could also benefit Slovenian travelers who currently have to use connecting flights when traveling to New York or other destinations in the United States.
For Slovenian passengers, the return of a direct Ljubljana New York flight represents an important change after more than three decades without such a connection. The route is scheduled to begin on May 12, 2027, and will provide travelers with a faster and simpler alternative to flights requiring a European connection. While the cheapest tickets may be relatively accessible for a long distance flight, the much higher prices for premium seats show that passengers will pay a substantial amount for additional comfort. The new route will therefore offer something Slovenia has been missing for years, but travelers will need to decide how much the convenience of flying directly to New York is worth.
