It's About to Get Easier to Visit Romania From the United States

There are several reasons why one might want to pencil in a visit to Romania in the months to come. The eastern European country is home to some stunning natural vistas; it’s also attracted visitors who are fond of the television show Wednesday. Travelers with an inclination towards memorable dining experiences may also have their interest piqued; a National Geographic headline earlier this year called the country “Europe’s next great food destination.”

Romania’s location also makes it easy to access neighboring countries like Bulgaria, Moldova and Serbia. So if the idea of making your way to Bucharest from the U.S. sounds appealing, an announcement from the airline HiSky sounds especially promising. Beginning on June 4, 2026, HiSky will begin flying between Bucharest and Chicago, the airline’s second route with service to and from the United States. HiSky’s route connecting New York City and Bucharest made its first flight in 2024.

According to HiSky’s announcement, the selection of Chicago was no coincidence. “For this second transatlantic service, we chose a destination of great interest not only for tourists and the business community, but also for the diaspora,” explained the airline’s CEO, Iulian Scorpan, in a statement. “The Romanian and Moldovan community in Chicago is one of the largest and most established in the United States and, considering that nearly 25 years have passed since the last direct flights, we realize that an entire generation has lacked the chance to maintain this direct link with the homeland.”

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Earlier this year, HiSky announced that it had transported five million passengers since launching its first flight in 2021. As One Mile at a Time’s Ben Schlappig pointed out, they are currently the only airline connecting the U.S. to Romania — something that could make this new route very popular. Schlappig also noted that HiSky is not yet part of an airline network, which could prevent it from making too many inroads in the U.S. Regardless, this route will be one to watch for summer travel next year.

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…