Prague Airport has significantly expanded its long-haul flight offer with a new direct connection to Philadelphia, USA. American Airlines officially launched the new route on 22nd May 2026 at Prague Airport, with the participation of the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and Minister of Industry and Trade, Karel Havlíček, Minister of Transport, Ivan Bednárik, and the US Ambassador to Prague, Nicholas Merrick. The new connection will be available to passengers daily until 5th October 2026.
The launch of a direct flight between Prague and Philadelphia is a strategic milestone in the development of long-haul connections from Prague Airport to the rest of the world. Philadelphia represents one of the key transfer hubs on the East Coast of the United States – a key market for Czech companies. Thanks to this, the new route opens up convenient access for passengers from Prague to a wide range of other destinations in North America.
“We appreciate the excellent cooperation with our global partner, American Airlines, as well as other partners who supported the opening of the new route. According to our forecasts, more than 57,000 passengers will use the new connection in both directions this summer. We are convinced that this route will quickly gain stable passenger interest, which could further create favourable conditions for its expansion throughout the summer season and potential operations during the winter season,” stated Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Prague Airport.
The regular long-haul route between Philadelphia and Prague operates daily until 5 October 2026. The carrier is deploying a long-haul Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, with a total capacity of 234 seats. The direct flight from Philadelphia departs at 6:00 p.m. local time and arrives in Prague at 8:15 a.m. the following day. The return flight departs from Prague at 10:15 a.m. and arrives in Philadelphia at 1:05 p.m. local time.
“Our customers around the world are increasingly seeking unique travel experiences, whether it is crystal-clear waters or the history, culture and cosmopolitan atmosphere offered by metropolises like Prague,” says José A. Freig, Vice President of International and Inflight Dining Operations at American Airlines, adding: “With this new route, our customers in the Czech Republic will also have access to one of our fastest-growing US hubs in Philadelphia, from where they can travel to more than 100 destinations in the United States and beyond.”
“The United States has long been one of our most important long-haul markets, and the interest of American tourists in the Czech Republic continues to grow. Last year alone, almost 580,000 visitors from the US arrived at domestic collective accommodation establishments, spending more than 1.5 million nights here. On average, they stay here for 3.6 days, with the longest stays in the Karlovy Vary Region. They most frequently head to Prague, but they are increasingly discovering other regions of the Czech Republic. American travellers primarily seek out cultural monuments, gastronomy, and the lively atmosphere of the local cities. Their total expenses associated with a trip to the Czech Republic exceed an average of five thousand crowns per person per day. We therefore see the new direct connection between Prague and Philadelphia as a significant step for the further development of inbound tourism and the strengthening of commercial and cultural ties between the two countries,” highlights František Reismüller, Director of the Czech Tourism Board – CzechTourism.
To support the new route, the foreign representative of CzechTourism in the US organised a series of presentations and networking events in Philadelphia to promote the Czech Republic as an attractive tourist destination. The programme included, for example, the event “From Cheesesteaks to Czechia – Now Nonstop from Philadelphia to Prague”, which, with significant support from Prague Airport and in cooperation with the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York, the CzechInvest agency and American Airlines, brought together representatives from tourism, business, media and community organisations. The aim was to present the Czech Republic not only as an attractive tourist destination, but also as an appealing partner for trade and new investments. Another part of the programme took place directly at Philadelphia International Airport during the ceremonial launch of the new route. The activities are complemented by marketing campaigns implemented jointly with Prague Airport and OTA partner Expedia.
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