The transatlantic link between the United States and Europe has long been one of the busiest and most important routes in aviation and has been operated by a huge number of airlines since the start of transatlantic commercial services. The first commercial transatlantic flight was operated by Pan American Airways on June 28, 1939, with the Boeing 314 Clipper “Dixie Clipper”. It carried 22 paying passengers from Port Washington, New York, to Lisbon, Portugal, with a stop in the Azores. Since then, transatlantic routes have become a flagship for many airlines.
Due to aircraft, technological, and logistical restrictions at the time, many of the first transatlantic flights included stops for refueling and sometimes crew changes. Today, however, that is far from the norm. Starting as East Coast-to-Western Europe links, the industry has expanded its point-to-point model into longer, direct routes. Leveraging the range and efficiency presented by the latest aircraft, such as the Airbus 350 or Boeing 787. Join us as we explore the seven longest routes between the US and Europe in 2025, utilizing data provided by Cirium.
1
Los Angeles — Athens
6,928 miles (11,149 km)
Norse Atlantic currently operates one of its eight total Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner workhorses on what is the longest route on this list. A total of 6,928 miles (11,149 km) stretching between 
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” (ATH), the ancient city and capital of Greece.
This route has seen 68 flights operated in, or scheduled for, 2025. This provides passengers with a total of 22,984 seats and 159,233,152 available seat miles (ASMs).
This route, launched in June 2025, plays a significant role in Norse’s broader strategy to strengthen connectivity between the US and mainland Europe. By linking the West Coast directly to the southeastern corner of Europe, it extends the airline’s transatlantic reach farther than ever before and marks the first-ever nonstop flight between the US West Coast and Athens. The service not only opens a new long-haul gateway for tourism and cultural travel but also enhances Norse’s competitive position in the transatlantic market by offering travelers a convenient alternative to traditional one-stop itineraries through other European hubs.
2
Los Angeles — Istanbul
6,852 miles (11,027 km)
Measuring in at the second-longest route on the list is the 
Turkish Airlines deployment of its Boeing 777-300ER (and more recently its Airbus A350-900) on the 6,852-mile (11,027 km) route between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and 
Istanbul Airport (IST).
The frequent service and use of the higher-capacity, longer-range Airbus A350-900/Boeing 777-300ER have seen a total of 760 flights operated in or scheduled for 2025. A total of 254,368 seats for passengers to book, totaling 1,742,929,536 ASMs.
This route is significant because it connects the US West Coast directly to Istanbul, one of the world’s largest international transit hubs. It serves strong local demand in Los Angeles while providing efficient one-stop access to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The route also strengthens Turkish Airlines’ competitive position against Gulf carriers by offering a long-haul link anchored by a high-quality onboard product.
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3
San Francisco — Istanbul
6,705 miles (10,790 km)
Appearing again on this list, and not for the last time, is Turkish Airlines. Another route establishing their growth and presence between the US and Europe, this time with its route between 
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and its hub, Istanbul Airport (IST).
This route, again from the US West Coast, covers a slightly shorter 6,705 miles (10,790 km) and has a significantly smaller 190,025 seats across 575 flights, for a total of 1,274,117,625 ASMs.
Turkish Airlines’ current fleet from Planespotters.net.
|
Aircraft Type |
Current |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
In Service |
Parked |
Total |
|
|
Airbus A319 |
6 |
6 |
|
|
Airbus A320 |
18 |
3 |
21 |
|
Airbus A321 |
115 |
14 |
129 |
|
Airbus A330 |
49 |
10 |
59 |
|
Airbus A350 XWB |
28 |
2 |
30 |
|
Boeing 737 |
74 |
6 |
80 |
|
Boeing 777 |
44 |
2 |
46 |
|
Boeing 787 Dreamliner |
25 |
1 |
26 |
In a similar fashion to their Los Angeles to Istanbul route, this route provides San Francisco with a nonstop link to Turkey, a destination previously reachable only via other European or Gulf connections. It strengthens San Francisco’s global connectivity by providing a new gateway for travelers heading to emerging markets across Central Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. The route also reflects Turkish Airlines’ strategy to expand in tech-driven, high-yield markets.
4
Houston — Istanbul
6,371 miles (10,235 km)
Another strong contender from Turkish Airlines, this time slightly further East in the US, is 
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) – Istanbul Airport (IST), operating primarily on their Boeing 777-300ER, but also utilizing their 787-9 Dreamliners.
This route covers 6,731 miles (10,235 km) and offers similar numbers to the San Francisco origin, with 506 flights, containing 159,346 seats, totaling 1,015,193,366 ASMs.
One significant benefit of this route offering is that it connects one of the US’s largest energy and medical hubs directly to Istanbul, supporting strong business travel demand from Houston’s global oil, gas, and engineering sectors. It gives travelers in the southern United States seamless one-stop access to Turkish Airlines’ extensive network across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
5
Los Angeles — Rome
6,354 miles (10,225 km)
Appearing for the first time on this list is Italy’s ITA Airways. Utilizing their hub in Rome and a particularly attractive Airbus A350-900/A330-900 combination, their Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) route spans 6,354 miles (10,225 km). This route offers passengers transiting between the US and Italy a choice of 82,832 seats across 268 flights, delivering a modest 536,314,528 ASMs.
Another appearance from Norse Atlantic serving this same route in direct competition sees their Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flown on 153 flights, offering 51,714 seats totaling 328,590,756 miles. The route marks Norse Atlantic’s expansion into the Italian market from the US West Coast, offering a rare ultra-low-cost transatlantic nonstop between Los Angeles and Rome.
This route is strategically important because it reconnects Southern California to Italy with a national carrier and an ultra-low-cost carrier after years of inconsistent service from Alitalia. It allows ITA Airways to funnel West Coast traffic into its growing Rome hub, where the airline is trying to rebuild itself as a competitive transatlantic player. The route also reflects Italy’s focus on capturing high-value US leisure demand, especially from travelers seeking direct access to Italy’s cultural and luxury destinations without connections.
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6
Dallas – Istanbul
6,275 miles (10,098 km)
The fourth appearance on this list for Turkish Airlines sees their Boeing 777-300ER deployed on the 
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – Istanbul Airport (IST), covering 6,275 (10,098 km).
On this route to Turkey’s largest city, Turkish Airlines offers a total of 485 flights, giving passengers access to 147,313 seats with 924,389,075 ASMs.
In a similar fashion to their Houston-Istanbul link, this route gives the booming North Texas region a nonstop bridge to Turkey and a massive global hub that was previously only accessible via East Coast or Gulf connections. It expands Turkish Airlines’ footprint into one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the US, capturing both business demand from Dallas’ corporate sector and strong international leisure traffic.
7
San Francisco — Rome
6,264 miles (10,080 km)
In ITA’s second appearance on this list, and using its Airbus A330-900, the airline offers 201 flights in direct competition with United Airlines between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). This route sees the Airbus cover 6,264 miles (10,080 km), offering 58,491 seats and 366,387,624 ASMs.
Competing directly with ITA Airways, United Airlines offers slightly more flights than ITA Airways on the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) route, with 205 available. Usually operating a Boeing 777-200, United gives passengers access to 56,850 seats and 354,417,120 miles, slightly less than their Italian competitor.
This US–Europe link provides the Bay Area with a long-awaited nonstop connection to Italy, strengthening United’s position as the leading West Coast carrier to Europe while expanding ITA Airways’ presence on the West Coast and supporting its strategy to develop Rome into a more competitive transatlantic hub. By directly linking Silicon Valley’s high-value market with Rome, the route taps into strong premium and leisure demand, allows both airlines to compete more effectively with other European carriers, and enhances Star Alliance connectivity by feeding traffic into United’s SFO hub and ITA’s growing Rome hub for broader European reach.
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