Gulf Air (GF)

Gulf Air confirms the return of its seasonal Nice–Bahrain and Geneva–Bahrain flights for summer 2026. Services to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport are scheduled from 24 May to 27 September 2026, while Geneva–Bahrain flights operate from 5 June to 11 September 2026. On both routes, Gulf Air operates 2 weekly flights with a technical stopover at Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy, using Airbus A321neo aircraft. With the resumption of these services, Gulf Air is expanding its network from Bahrain International Airport, further strengthening connectivity between the Gulf and Europe for the summer 2026 holiday season.

Announced on 22 December 2025, the extension of the codeshare agreement between Gulf Air and Turkish Airlines now enables passengers of the Bahraini airline to reach Budapest, Prague, Venice, Vienna and Rize via Istanbul, connecting onto Turkish Airlines flights. This development builds on the existing service between Manama and Istanbul operated by Gulf Air with Airbus A321neo aircraft and illustrates a deliberate strategy of expanding its network through targeted partnerships rather than launching its own routes. By using Istanbul as a major gateway to Europe, Gulf Air is broadening its offering, improving itinerary flexibility and strengthening its position in the face of regional competition, while maintaining a model focused on service quality and a gradual move upmarket.

Since 1 October 2025, Gulf Air has reinstated a direct flight between Bahrain International Airport and New York JFK, operated 3 times a week. The Manama–New York flights are operated with a Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner, ensuring enhanced comfort on this long-haul route. This return to the United States follows approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has validated Bahrain International Airport’s aviation safety standards and authorised Gulf Air to operate regular direct flights to the Americas. The Persian Gulf airline has also signed a partnership with New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport, with a move to the new terminal planned as soon as it opens in 2026. For Gulf Air, this relaunch strengthens its transatlantic connectivity, boosts tourism between the Persian Gulf and the United States, and creates new opportunities for business and leisure travellers. With this direct air connection reinstated, the airline is reinforcing its position in long-haul travel and laying the foundations for a strategic air hub linking the Gulf with the Americas, capable of supporting an extensive network of international connections.