What Tourists Should Know About Delta's Canceled Flight Route Between New York & Europe

Delta is the oldest operating airline in the United States, and one of the most profitable airlines in the world. While the company transported more than 200 million passengers in 2024, they will soon have one less route to Europe. In September of 2025, the company announced the discontinuation of a popular route to Europe from the United States.

Delta has been around for 100 years (since 1925), and currently flies to 275 destinations in 50 different countries around the world. For 34 years, Delta passengers have enjoyed a direct flight route between New York City and the vibrant city of Brussels. Brussels is located in Belgium, which is one of the best destinations across Europe for people who hate crowds. It's full of incredible museums, great beer, and plenty of historical sites.

Now, for the first time since 1991 (with the exception of a short break during the COVID-19 pandemic), Delta will no longer be offering direct flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Brussels Airport (BRU). The route will end in early 2026 and tourists will have to either fly through Atlanta or choose a different airline.

The final Delta flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Brussels Airport will depart on January 5, 2026, while the last flight from Brussels to New York will depart on January 6. Delta passengers will still be able to travel to Brussels through Delta's hub in Atlanta, but for travelers based in New York, that will mean an annoying connection and a few extra hours of travel time. "Delta apologizes for any inconvenience this change causes, and affected customers will be notified directly," an airline spokesperson told AirlineGeeks.

Some of Delta's recent changes have left its customers outraged. In 2023, the company announced that it will reform its popular SkyMiles program, making it more difficult for customers to receive the benefits they've come to enjoy as SkyMiles members. The cancellation of the JFK-BRU route is another blow to travelers.

"I was really disappointed that JFK-BRU was axed this year," wrote Reddit user Conan_Kudo, stating that they've flown to Brussels every January since 2023. "I was genuinely surprised that the direct flight was no longer available this year." Plenty of others agreed. "Ah that's unfortunate. Have flown this route so many times, including the very first transatlantic journey I ever took," wrote u/ftlapple. "I'm surprised they are getting rid of the route altogether given they were recently running it twice a day (in summer)." 

If you're a Delta loyalist in New York, you're going to have to fly through Atlanta if you plan to visit Brussels in 2026. The new service from Atlanta to Brussels is scheduled to begin March 8, 2026, with four departures each week. Currently there are three departures to Brussels each week from Atlanta. During summers starting in 2026, from April to October, Delta plans to offer daily departures. If you've already purchased tickets for a trip to Brussels after January 5, 2026, you will likely be rerouted through Atlanta.

Delta claims that the changes were made "to better align with customer demand," but some travelers believe the decision was made in order to offer new routes. "Probably to make way for JFK-RUH [Saudi Arabia] or JFK-BUD [Budapest]" a commenter wrote on Simple Flying.

Luckily, if you want to fly out of the New York area, you still have a few direct flight options on other airlines. Brussels Airlines operates direct flights out of John F. Kennedy International Airport and United Airlines will continue to offer daily departures from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.