Undiscovered Italy? United debuts flights to lesser-known Puglia ahead of summer travel rush

Local television crews pushed through the crowd of arriving passengers, looking for people to interview.

The president of the region, with other leaders in tow, staged an impromptu press conference (and photo op) on the tarmac — with the tail of a Boeing 767 serving as the backdrop.

It's a scene that might sound like a paparazzi situation or a political rally. But, it was neither.

Instead, the excitement on Saturday centered on United Airlines' first-ever arrival at Bari International Airport-Karol Wojtyla (BRI) in southeastern Italy — the end point of its inaugural flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

The flight was a first by a North American carrier to Italy's Puglia region, which stands to make enormous gains if it can make inroads with a U.S. audience that has flocked to other parts of Italy.

Given that potential upside, it shouldn't be a surprise that United's arrival on the country's southern Adriatic coast was one of the top stories among local media in Puglia this weekend.

For Americans, it's a new and intriguing nonstop destination for travelers looking to make the transatlantic hop during the spring and summer months.

For the airline, Bari fits right in with Chicago-based carrier's goals for its international flight schedules.

"I don't want to be boring," Patrick Quayle, United's executive in charge of the airline's route planning, told me ahead of the Bari flight, about how he helps evaluate new cities for the carrier.

A part of Italy undiscovered by Americans

United's new service to Bari could elevate Italy's Puglia region in the consciousness of U.S. travelers who, along with tried-and-true places like Rome, Milan and Venice, already know secondary Italian regions like Tuscany, Umbria and Cinque Terre.

Could Puglia, located in the "heel" of Italy along the Adriatic Sea, take its place alongside other Italian regions popular among U.S. tourists?

United seems willing to find out.

United's ambitious global expansion

This new route comes as part of a broader push by the airline to grow its reach into secondary markets around the globe. Executives believe this will help differentiate the airline from its top U.S. rivals while also further engaging its loyal (and increasingly lucrative) base of frequent flyers.

"We used to only serve Rome and Milan. That was it," Qualye said. "Now Bari marks our sixth destination in Italy. ... it allows for people to experience something a bit different."

MORE: United's big reveal: 4 new destinations and 6 new routes for summer 2026

Already, that strategy has seen the airline launch service to places like Greenland, Mongolia, and Spain's Canary Islands off the coast of Africa.

The launch of the Bari flight comes just a day after United flew its first flight to Split, Croatia — another destination where it's now the first North American carrier ever to fly nonstop. The 2026 transatlantic expansion also includes service to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain and Glasgow in Scotland.

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Fanfare for United's first Bari flight

The Bari flight took off Friday from Newark following a gate-side party — fanfare with few equivalents in the airline industry, and what's become a mainstay of United's high-profile inaugural flights under Quayle.

Some passengers — including a handful who make a pastime of joining United's inaugural flights — arrived in costumes specially designed for the occasion.

They were treated as pseudo-celebrities as the gate celebration ramped up, posing for photos with regular passengers, as well as crew and employees who were there for the flight.

Warren Rieutort-Louis, a mainstay on United inaugurals, had just taken United's inaugural from Newark to Split a day earlier. He returned immediately after arriving in Croatia so he could make it back to Newark in time for Friday's afternoon departure to Bari.

That enthusiasm for United's inaugurals underscores the connection Quayle says these new nonstop destinations — unusual for North American carriers — cultivate with its loyalty base.

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"We've created a brand at United where people know it's a one-stop shop," he said. "If United is flying there, it's going to be a wild destination or it's going to be an inspiring destination. And so I think we end up generating a buzz.

An inaugural to remember

Travelers flying the airline's high-profile inaugurals are treated to a raft of commemorative items to mark the occasion upon climbing on board.

On this Bari flight, the goodies in its Polaris business-class cabin included stuffed animals and posters bearing details of the flight, along with route-specific pajamas. The latter inevitably made for an in-cabin fashion show as customers modeled for their traveling companions.

Travelers in the carrier's Premium Plus (premium economy) cabin got their own set of inaugural swag.

In economy, passengers didn't receive the same set of goodies, but they received an inaugural welcome.

In the air

Once up in the air, even the Polaris meal was specially themed for the flight.

Selections included preparations local to Puglia, with the menu listing pan-roasted chicken alla Barese, swordfish alla pizzaiola and orecchiette alla Pugliese.

I ordered the beef option, braciole all Barese, described as thinly sliced beef served with parsley, pecorino cheese and shaved prosciutto, among other garnishes.

The meal was decent, at least as airline food goes, though it had few photogenic qualities.

The highlight for me, as is often the case, was the hot fudge sundae dessert.

Crossing the Atlantic

Eventually, the inaugural buzz wore off, and the flight slowly took on the vibe of a standard transatlantic crossing.

While travelers to Puglia likely will appreciate the nonstop connection United's new flight provides from New York, the timing of the flight is not well-suited to a natural overnight sleep.

United Flight 380 departs Newark at around 3:30 p.m. local time and lands in Bari around 6:30 a.m. local time — or just after midnight in Newark.

Even with my lie-flat Polaris seat, I found it challenging to sleep during what would have been evening local time.

And arriving in Italy at what was essentially midnight in my home time zone definitely made it difficult to stay awake and reset my body clock.

Related: Caviar, lie-flat beds and a cool snack bar: 17 hours in United's swanky new Polaris suites

On the ground

Another challenge with the new flight was that Bari's airport — getting its first transatlantic service from a major North American carrier — was a bit overwhelmed in accommodating passengers deplaning from the 167-seat Boeing 767 wide-body.

All of the passengers flowed into a remote immigration facility with just four kiosks to process arrivals.

The line of arriving passengers eventually snaked outside, prompting local officials to open up the manual processing lanes normally reserved for European Union citizens.

Still, the arrivals from United Flight 380 — coupled with a Wizz Air flight that landed shortly after — created long processing queues with wait times nearing an hour once all was said and done.

Despite that, the mood from local officials was friendly and helpful. The first-ever arrival from a U.S. carrier at Bari's airport set a celebratory (if busy) vibe.

How to book

The easiest way to book United flights with points and miles is, of course, to make a MileagePlus redemption. Keep in mind that after recent sweeping changes by the airline, members who carry a United cobranded credit card pay at least 10% fewer miles. Cardholders who also have Premier elite status get a minimum 15% discount.

Keep in mind, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards to your MileagePlus account.

Beyond that, you can also book United flights through one of its Star Alliance partners, from Air Canada's Aeroplan to Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer.

During the first few weeks of flying, both United and Air Canada Aeroplan showed availability on the Newark-Bari nonstop for just 40,000 miles one-way in economy — not including United's discounted rates for elite members and credit card holders.

Looking ahead

How United's new route to Bari ultimately performs remains to be seen: The airline has acknowledged many of these new destinations are experiments — and not all of them pan out.

Still, Italy would be a safe bet, considering travel demand to the country has remained robust for several years running.

This summer, airlines are set to fly nearly 83% more flights between the U.S. and Italy than they did a decade ago, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

And at a time when tourist taxes in Venice and reservations to access the Trevi Fountain in Rome speak to the massive crowds at the most "traditional" tourist hot spots, Puglia's beachside towns and historic hillside cities may serve as a fresh, enticing option for travelers planning their next getaway in Europe.

Related reading:

• United Airlines MileagePlus: Guide to earning and redeeming miles, elite status and more
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• United Premier status: How to earn it — and is it worth it?
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
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• United basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more