Image by Nikhil Kurian from Pixabay
The French Riviera strengthened its transatlantic connections this month as Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur welcomed its first-ever direct flight from Boston on 17 May 2026. Operated by Delta Air Lines, the new seasonal route marked another significant step in the rapid growth of travel between the Côte d’Azur and the United States.
The Boston connection became the airport’s seventh direct route to the American market and the third operated by Delta from the Riviera, alongside its existing services to New York JFK and Atlanta. The launch reflected the increasing demand for direct transatlantic travel from Southern France, Monaco and Northern Italy, while also reinforcing the Riviera’s popularity among North American visitors.
Since the pandemic, a new direct US connection has been added from Nice every year, underlining the region’s strong international recovery. In 2025 alone, more than 300,000 passengers travelled on direct flights between Nice and the United States — a figure that has tripled compared with 2019.
The new Boston service was scheduled to operate three times weekly until 23 October using an Airbus A330 configured with 282 seats, including Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
Franck Goldnadel, President of the Executive Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, described the new route as another milestone for the region’s international connectivity. He praised Delta Air Lines for its continued confidence in the Riviera market, noting that Nice remained the best-connected French city to the United States after Paris.
For Delta Air Lines, the new route also highlighted its long-standing relationship with the region. Eleonore Roger-Martin, Commercial Director France for the airline, said the connection would offer travellers on both sides of the Atlantic a more seamless and accessible travel experience while strengthening ties between New England and the French Riviera.