In 2024, Romanian low value airline HiSky started flying to america. Surprisingly, the route has operated year-round since then. Not solely that, however we’re now seeing the airline develop, and announce plans to fly to a second airport in america… that’s sort of cool!
HiSky including flights to second United States airport
Since June 2024, HiSky has been working a flight between Bucharest (OTP) and New York (JFK). The flight has usually operated with the next schedule:
H4101 Bucharest to New York departing 9:30AM arriving 12:20PM
H4102 New York to Bucharest departing 1:50PM arriving 5:40AM (+1 day)
The 4,755-mile flight is blocked at 9hr50min westbound and 8hr50min eastbound. It has operated with various frequencies, usually anyplace from 2-4x weekly (although some weeks the airline doesn’t really feel like working, it appears).
There’s now an attention-grabbing replace. The New York flight solely exhibits as working by means of subsequent spring, although as of June 2026, the airline will launch a flight between Bucharest and Chicago (ORD). The flight will function with the next schedule:
H4103 Bucharest to Chicago departing 9:00AM arriving 11:50AM
H4104 Chicago to Bucharest departing 1:20PM arriving 7:10AM (+1 day)
The 5,216-mile flight is blocked at 10hr50min westbound and 9hr50min eastbound. It’s anticipated to function 2x weekly.
It stays to be seen if the airline is changing its New York service with Chicago service, or if the New York service simply isn’t bookable but for subsequent summer season. Both is feasible, and with solely two weekly frequencies to Chicago, there’s nothing stopping the airline from serving each locations.
Flights are on sale on HiSky’s web site, and the airline has a wide range of fares, and even gives enterprise class. For the Chicago route, economic system fares begin at €349.99 one-way in economic system, or €1,199.99 one-way in enterprise class.
HiSky has a single Airbus A330-200 that it makes use of for lengthy haul flights, which is being leased from Air Lease Company. The airplane encompasses a whole of 274 seats, together with 24 enterprise class seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, plus 250 economic system seats in a 2-4-2 configuration.
HiSky’s Airbus A330-200 has the license plate YR-KID, and it’s an plane that first entered service in 2010, and till not too long ago flew for China’s Sichuan Airways.
I’ve reviewed Sichuan Airways’ A330 enterprise class, and the airline has saved the identical seats that had been accessible on these planes, so these are angled enterprise class seats. Nonetheless, the airline has eliminated some enterprise class seats so as to add extra economic system seats, to higher replicate the demand profile (so the rear mini enterprise class cabin has been eradicated).
My tackle HiSky’s new transatlantic flights
Most Individuals have in all probability by no means heard of HiSky Airways. For these not acquainted, it’s a reasonably new airline that was based in 2019, however it has solely actually ramped up operations prior to now few years, given the pandemic. The airline presently has a fleet of seven plane, together with 4 Airbus A320s, two Airbus A321LRs, and one Airbus A330.
Whereas I haven’t flown with HiSky, the issues that I’ve heard concerning the airline have been usually constructive, and it appears to be fairly effectively regarded, and to supply good worth and a stable expertise.
So far as daring new airline routes go, I’ve to say that HiSky’s new service doesn’t appear to be a horrible thought, with one main caveat:
- It’s straightforward sufficient to earn money flying throughout the Atlantic in summer season, given the quantity of demand
- Whereas US airways have expanded a ton with summer season seasonal flying to Europe, no US carriers have deliberate service to Romania, so HiSky is the one airline working flights between Romania and america
- The catch is that HiSky is primarily promoting point-to-point tickets; the airline doesn’t have a sturdy connecting community in Europe, and no accomplice in america
- HiSky undoubtedly has a value benefit when it comes to flying an older A330 that’s in all probability not too costly to lease, and I think about the provider has a lot better labor prices than US airways (I doubt HiSky captains are making $400K+ per yr)
- The airline appears to have discovered some quantity of success within the New York market, provided that the route has now survived a winter, in order that’s fairly attention-grabbing
I’m curious to see how this evolves, because it’s all the time enjoyable to see new airways making an attempt lengthy haul routes. It’s very cool that this service appears to be working in some type, provided that it has caught round for over a yr, and a second route is even being added.
Backside line
In 2024, HiSky launched nonstop flights from Romania to america. Particularly, the airline has been flying from Bucharest to New York with a newly acquired Airbus A330 that used to fly for Sichuan Airways. That route has been working repeatedly since then, and now HiSky plans so as to add a path to Chicago as of 2026.
What do you make of HiSky’s service to america?
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