Often nicknamed the “Hawaii of Europe” due to the subtropical climate and volcanic landscapes, the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira has long been a popular destination for European and British travelers.
But due above all to the lack of direct flights and prioritization of larger cities for what to many can only be a short vacation, Madeira has in past years attracted only the more dedicated and hardened travelers from the U.S.
The island is also often compared with Hawaii due to the juxtaposition of crystal waters and verdant hills as well as a similar culture of farm workers and tourists coming in during seasonal waves.
The United flight to Madeira available from May 16
But as the archipelago started gaining in popularity and demand over the last five years, Madeira eventually caught the attention of larger airlines. As part of its international route expansion in 2025, United Airlines launched its first flight between Newark Liberty (EWR) and Madeira Airport (FNC) in the capital city of Funchal.
After retiring the route for the season in October, the Chicago-based carrier will relaunch it for a second year. The EWR-FNC flight will launch for the first time on May 16 in a seasonal start that begins three weeks earlier than last year’s June launch.
“Originally launched in June 2025 as part of United Airlines’ international expansion, the Newark-Madrid service quickly established itself as a key transatlantic connection,” the airline said of the returning route. “Linking the island to one of the United States’ largest aviation hubs, the route significantly enhanced accessibility to Madeira for travelers from across North America.”
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With U.S. traveler interest in Portugal continuing to see year-over-year growth, United also launched a summer route to Faro International (FAO) in the country’s southern Algarve region for the same summer season.
This route is set to run for the first time on May 15 alongside other returning routes to Palermo in Italy’s Sicily, Bilbao in Spain’s Basque Country and Nuuk in Greenland.
These seasonal routes are often an economic risk for the airline in that they can either attract a new market of travelers who are looking for ways to reach destinations outside major hubs directly or end up flying half-full given the limited market of passengers interested in the destination.
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United bets big on Madeira travel as jet fuel prices spike
Amid the skyrocketing jet fuel crises due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, routes to secondary cities and smaller destinations have been the first victim of most major airlines streamlining their summer networks for routes predicted to bring in the largest numbers of passengers — usually ones to major hubs such as Paris, London and Frankfurt in Europe.
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But with Madeira continuing to see what in some months was a 25% spike in visitors in the first half of 2026, United is betting on the islands’ sustained popularity this year.
The flight is available to book on the airline’s website through the end of September while uptake during this season will determine whether it is brought back for a third year.
Azores Airlines previously tested direct flights to Funchal from Boston and Toronto but the routes were ultimately retired as the airline prioritizes flying to its main market of the Canary Islands.
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