While once taking a secondary place to nearby European countries like Spain and France, the European nation of Portugal has been going through a yearslong explosion in tourist popularity.

The 29 million international visitors who came to the country last year are a record and 9.3% increase from 2023 while government policies facilitating residency for investors and digital nomads have both pumped funds into the local economy and fueled an affordability crisis that eventually led Portuguese lawmakers to restructure programs that led to an inflow of foreigners with more spending power than the local population.

On the tourism end, the northern city of Porto has experienced one of the biggest spikes in popularity among North American visitors in particular. Known as the birthplace of port wine and a historic center that is among the oldest in Europe, Porto went from welcoming just over 3.7 million visitors in 2019 to a record seven million in 2024. Google Trends data shows that searches for Porto spiked in April 2025 amid a high number of travelers looking for ways to book trips.

Delta says new “additions expand choice for our customers”

Amid this spike in popularity, Delta Air Lines  (DAL)  just announced that it will launch its first direct flight to Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) in Porto from John F. Kennedy International Airport in May 2026. The flight will run on a Boeing 767-300  (BA)  plane with regular economy, premium economy and Delta Comfort classes alongside the lie-flat beds offered in Delta One business.

“Whether discovering Portugal or traveling to our other new destinations such as Sardinia and Malta, these additions expand choice for our customers and reinforce JFK’s role as a leading global gateway,” Delta Senior Vice President of Network Planning Paul Baldoni said in a statement referencing the new routes from JFK Delta also announced earlier in the month.

Related: These U.S. cities are getting direct flights to Portugal for the first time

The flight to Porto will start running daily on May 21, 2026 and will add to the airline’s year-round flight to the Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) in Lisbon from JFK and a seasonal flight to the Portuguese capital from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

According to the airline, Porto was chosen amid a growing number of travelers looking for a direct flight to the city without having to go through Lisbon or another capital like Madrid — a wider trend in which frequently travelers increasingly look to travel to new and smaller destinations directly.

Delta announced several new European routes for the summer of 2026.

Image source: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Delta increasingly leaning into smaller cities, new European destinations

“Delta’s new nonstop service from JFK to Porto is part of seven new European routes launching next summer, giving customers even more opportunities to experience Europe and enjoy our award-winning service and premium onboard experience,” Baldoni said further.

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Similar efforts to expand their network to more secondary cities have also been made by competitors like American Airlines  (AAL)  and United Airlines  (UAL) . In August, American unveiled a spate of new summer 2026 flights to cities such as Budapest, Prague and Athens while the latter airline announced that it would expand its new service between Newark Liberty (EWR) and Madeira; the Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean has been going through its own spike in tourist interest.

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