American Airlines to bring back flight between Edinburgh and Philadelphia after five years

A non-stop flight between Edinburgh and Philadelphia is returning for the first time in five years.

The scheduled service will be operated daily by American Airlines starting from May 2025 and running until October 2025.

A 300 plus-seat dual-class Boeing 787-800 aircraft will be used on the route.

The news was welcomed by tourism chiefs, with the return of the flight route seeing Edinburgh Airport now fully reconnect – and even surpassing – all pre-Covid transatlantic routes.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive at Edinburgh Airport, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming American Airlines back to Edinburgh as they reinstate their direct seasonal service to Philadelphia.

“This sees us reconnecting – and significantly surpassing – all of our pre-Covid transatlantic routes, demonstrating the significant demand North American demand for Edinburgh and Scotland

“Seeing that American Airlines tailfin back in the Scottish capital is something we are all looking forward to, and we know that reconnecting our two historic cities will generate excitement on both sides of the Atlantic.”

José Freig, vice president international operation for American Airlines, said the route will allow Scots to explore new destinations in the US.

He said: “The customer demand for flights to and from Europe continues to be strong as travellers seek to explore cities full of culture and history.

“Edinburgh was a key dot on the map for American Airlines when we first launched our Scottish service back in 2015 and we are excited to return in summer 2025.

“With this route, our customers in Scotland will have access to one of our fastest growing U.S. hubs in Philadelphia, from where they can connect to explore new destinations the U.S and beyond has to offer.”

The service will begin on May 24 and run until October 5.