You Can Now Fly Directly to This Under-the-Radar European Coastal Escape

03.11.2023 - 20:23 / afar.com

The southern Algarve region of Portugal has some of the warmest weather in the country and a dramatic coastline dotted by golden-hued craggy cliffs, patches of pristine sandy beaches, and quaint, cobblestone towns. While this idyllic Atlantic retreat is no secret among Europeans, it still flies relatively under the radar for visitors coming from farther afield.

That’s in part due to the fact that’s it not necessarily very easy for transatlantic travelers to get there. The Algarve is located a couple hours south of Lisbon by car, so getting there from the United States typically requires a considerable amount of time and usually some combination of planes, trains, and automobiles. But starting next spring, it will be much easier to travel to this Portuguese region from the United States.

On May 24, United Airlines will begin flying the first and only direct flight between the U.S. and Faro, Portugal—the main air travel hub for the Algarve. United will operate the new route four times a week on Boeing 757-200 aircraft, between Newark, New Jersey and Faro. The new nonstop flight will build on United’s existing year-round service between Newark and Lisbon, and seasonal service between Washington Dulles and Lisbon, Newark and Porto, and Newark and Ponta Delgada in the Azores.

The Algarve is more than just a string of pretty beaches; cities like the centrally located Faro will charm visitors, too.

Kobu Agency/Unsplash

United flight UA 281 will depart Newark International Airport (EWR) at 9:50 p.m. (local time) and arrive at Faro International Airport (FAO) approximately 7 hours, 10 minutes later at 10 a.m. (local time) the following morning. United flight UA 282 will depart FAO at 11:45 a.m. (local time) and will arrive at EWR at 3:05 p.m. (local time) the same day after 8 hours, 20 minutes of flying time.

United’s Boeing 757-200 features 16 United Polaris business seats (now with upgraded amenities), either 42 or 45 Economy Plus seats (depending on the plane), and 108 to 118 seats in economy class (also depending on the plane). There is seatback entertainment and WiFi available onboard for all passengers.

United’s brand-new Faro flights are available to book now (note to travelers: since the flights only depart four times per week, you may have to fiddle with your travel dates a little to find the dates featuring the nonstop flights—versus flights with one or two stopovers).

The beauty of the Algarve lies in its heart-stopping seascapes.

Claudio Schwartz/Unsplash

From the striking rock formations jutting out of the waters off the coast of Lagos on the western end of the Algarve region (and the not-to-be-missed nearby Benagil Cave), to the cobblestone streets of Tavira on the eastern end, this coastal