United Airlines adds Puglia route as US-Italy travel booms

United Airlines has announced a new seasonal direct route to Puglia for 2027, part of a broader expansion of US-Italy connections that signals growing American appetite for Italy's south.

The airline will also add two new direct routes from the New York area to Sardinia and Sicily, plus a new service from Washington DC to Milan, according to The Local Italy. The Puglia connection marks a significant step for a region that has long sought to attract long-haul visitors beyond its traditional European markets.

For Puglia, the announcement is a concrete sign that the region's tourism push is paying off. The whitewashed towns of the Salento peninsula, the trulli of Alberobello and the Adriatic coastline have been drawing increasing international attention, but direct air links from North America have been slow to follow.

The United Airlines announcement, reported by The Local Italy on Thursday, comes as travel between the US and Italy continues to recover and expand. The new routes are scheduled for 2027, suggesting a long-term commitment rather than a short-term response to a single season's demand.

The Puglia connection is particularly significant because it bypasses the traditional gateway airports of Rome and Milan. Direct flights into Bari or Brindisi would cut travel time for American visitors and, more importantly, signal that the region is now seen as a destination in its own right rather than a side trip from the northern cities.

The timing aligns with broader trends in southern Italian tourism. Earlier this month, foreign coverage noted how Calabria's overlooked coastline was drawing the world's gaze south, and Puglia has been at the forefront of that shift, with its baroque towns, olive groves and beaches featuring in international travel pages.

The expansion also comes as Italy prepares for changes to its travel landscape this autumn, including Highway Code updates and new international routes, according to The Local Italy's roundup. The combination of easier access and growing interest suggests the south's tourism boom has room to run.

For a region whose economy has long leaned on agriculture and industry, the tourism growth offers a rare bright spot. The challenge now, as the United Airlines announcement underscores, is ensuring that the infrastructure — from airports to roads to accommodation — can handle the influx without losing the character that draws visitors in the first place.