Enough with the Barcelonas, Amalfis, and Santorinis of the world.
If you’re dreaming of a Mediterranean getaway in 2026, but you’ve had it with the usual over-promoted, over-commercialized tourism hotspots where prices have gone through the roof, the crowds are insane, and locals aren’t even that nice to you, we’ve got just the triad that might save your next trip.
Oh, and guess what! You don’t even need to hop on and off planes two or three times to get there: they will be hosting nonstop flights from major New York Metropolitan airports this year.
So how does pasta and some silky red wine overlooking the serene Adriatic sound?
Bari, Italy
A major port city on the Adriatic Sea, Bari started hosting nonstop Transatlantic flights in summer 2025, after Italy-based Neos launched the first-ever direct service between JFK and the local Karol Wojtyła Airport.
This year, it’s beefing up the offer thanks to United Airlines’ newly-announced direct service from Newark (EWR), strengthening the connectivity between the wider New York region and the up-and-coming Italian hub.
Bari itself is home to one of the largest historic centers in Southern Italy: the labyrinthine Bari Vecchia is criss-crossed by cobble-paved alleys and dotted with Romanesque churches.
On Via Arco Basso, tourists can watch as chatty nonne make orecchiette, the local ear-shaped pasta, and strolling along Lungomare Nazario Sauro, the country’s longest seafront promenade, they will find epic Adriatic views and family-owned trattorie dishing out Italian delicacies.
Bari is also the gateway to the wider Puglia region, with its whitewashed towns clinging to dramatic cliffsides, the UNESCO-listed trulli town of Alberobello, and pebbly beaches hugged by turquoise waters.
Sardinia, Italy
Everyone knows Sicily for its paradisiacal beaches, ancient towns, and White Lotus-esque coastal resorts, but how many of you have been sleeping on the equally stunning, subtropical Sardinia all along?
Italy’s second-largest island is packed with Caribbean-like white sands, bounded by some of the clearest seas you’ve ever seen, and its pastel-colored, fortified coastal towns seem to have come straight out of the pages of a storybook.
Despite its clear summery appeal, Sardinia had never been serviced by a U.S. airline, yet from this year onwards, Delta is taking over the unexplored, yet promising route, and launching the inaugural New York-Sardinia flights.
More specifically, they will be carrying passengers from their JFK hub to Olbia (OLB) in northern Sardinia.
An interesting choice given that the Sardinian capital, the vibrant Cagliari, is a whole 159 miles away, but one that makes total sense considering Olbia’s proximity to the Costa Smeralda, home to the best beaches, and the pristine Maddalena archipelago.
Split, Croatia
Following their successful Dubrovnik service, about to enter its sixth year in 2026, United thought it fitting to expand their Croatia offer and add a trendy Split to their flight map.
A much-larger city than Dubrovnik, and one of the fastest-rising destinations in the Mediterranean basin, with a growing number of American visitors year after year, it’s been (oddly) ignored by Transatlantic operators for years.
Well, not anymore.
Starting as early as April 30, 2026, Americans will be able to fly direct to Split (SPU) from Newark, and marvel at its UNESCO-protected Diocletian’s Palace and maze-like Old Town without unnecessary layovers in Frankfurt and other European transit hubs.
Split is known for its ancient Roman history, proximity to beautiful Adriatic beaches, and busy port boasting connections to islands like Brač and Hvar, where more untouched swimming spots and ancient culture await.
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