List of direct US-France flights grows, routes to Toulouse and Marseille launching

The number of direct flights between the US and France continues to expand, with United Airlines set to offer three new routes next year.

The services, running between Washington-Toulouse, New York/Newark-Marseille, and Denver-Paris, will launch for the spring/summer 2027 season. 

The Toulouse route will launch on April 26 and run year-round, with the Marseille flight initially running seasonally between June 4 and September 5. 

Flights between Denver and Paris will begin on May 27 and also run year-round.

All three flights will see a daily service, with journeys taking between eight to 11 hours. 

Notably, the routes to Marseille and Toulouse will be the first direct flights between the US and France not to land in the French capital or Nice. 

Alongside the potential for increased tourist activity, the Washington-Toulouse route has been highlighted as easing US access to aviation giant Airbus, headquartered in the French city.

Aviation fans will note that some of the new United Airlines flights will use the new Airbus A321XLR planes, a narrow-body aircraft. It is a cousin of the A320, more typically used by budget European airlines for short- and medium-haul flights. 

However, United Airlines has altered the craft to hold only 150 seats – well off the maximum 244 – to focus on premium travel.

In their place will be more luxury seating options, a refreshment area, and additional toilets. 

Several new destinations

The airline wants “to inspire even the most discerning travelers to discover somewhere new,” said United Airlines Vice President Patrick Quayle in a press release on Tuesday following the announcement. 

The new French routes came alongside the unveiling of several other direct flights United Airlines are set to launch in 2027, including to Luxembourg, Ljubljana (Slovenia), Olbia and Catania (Italy), Ibiza and Valencia (Spain), Terceira (Azores, Portugal) and Okinawa (Japan). 

Announcing the new routes, Mr Quayle told reporters that the extreme heat in Europe this summer had not dampened demand for transatlantic travel.  

He said that “demand is incredibly strong” noting that in most markets United has “more and more markets where you can extend the season,” which is “going well into October or November,” according to Forbes. 

Tickets for all three French routes are available to purchase through the United Airlines website. 

Boom in transatlantic flights

The new United Airlines routes reflect a growing hunger for direct flights between US and Europe, particularly France.

Last week, rival airline Delta Air Lines announced the launch of a direct Austin-Paris flight for the summer 2027 season. 

It comes after a direct Nice-Boston route was launched in May 2026, further expanding the number of direct flights between the Riviera and North America.

If routes next year prove popular, it is possible that an expansion of services – including more to airports outside of Paris and Nice – will be announced in 2028.