10 years of French bee: New York

10 years of French bee

Paris-Orly – New York, our story since 2021

On July 14, 2021, French bee opened its route to New York-Newark. Five years later, nearly a million passengers have crossed the Atlantic with us: it is our second-busiest route.

New York, a French bee destination since 2021
ORY
Paris-Orly
 
EWR
New York-Newark
About 8h15 flight time
Up to 10 flights per week
Since July 14, 2021
6h time difference
Heading for the East Coast

July 14, 2021: first flight to New York

On Bastille Day, in the middle of the health crisis, the airline opened its route to New York-Newark, its second destination in the United States after San Francisco. Five months later, the first A350-1000 and its 480 seats joined the fleet.

In 2022, its first full year, the route carried 155,229 passengers.

39,416
passengers between July 14 and December 31, 2021
2nd destination
for French bee in the United States, after San Francisco
480 seats
on board the A350-1000, which joined the fleet in December 2021
French bee, Paris-Orly – New York route
The route in numbers

Five years between Paris-Orly and New York

Accumulated since the first flight, these figures make New York our second route, right after Reunion Island.

978,658

passengers carried between Paris-Orly and New York since 2021

That's nearly 18 out of 100 French bee passengers, across all destinations.

1,530*

round trips

Or about 3,063 flights operated on the route since 2021.

18M km

flown

448 times around the Earth, or more than 23 round trips to the Moon.

776,172

meals served on board

Between Paris-Orly and New York, since 2021.

328*

passengers per flight on average

On flights operated in 2025.

* Estimates calculated from our traffic data (kilometers flown and passengers carried on the route).

Year after year

Nearly a million travelers in five years

Swipe the chart →

39,416
155,229
187,940
229,282
223,088
143,703
168
508
595
706
680
406
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
+48%
more passengers between 2022, the first full year, and 2024.
229,282
passengers in 2024, our record on the route.
220,000
passengers or more per year in 2024 and 2025.

2021: from July 14.
2026: year in progress, data as of October 6, 2026.
* Flights operated, both directions: estimate calculated from the kilometers flown on the route.

Timeline

The dates that shaped the route

From an opening on Bastille Day to the million-passenger milestone, the key stages of our route to New York.

July 14, 2021First flightParis-Orly – New York-Newark opens, on France's national day.
December 2021The A350-1000 arrives480 seats, including 40 in Premium blue.
2022First full year155,229 passengers between Paris-Orly and New York.
2023The route grows187,940 passengers, up 21% in one year.
2024Record year229,282 passengers between Paris-Orly and New York.
November 23, 2025The Moustache FlightA flight in Movember colors, in support of Les Hommes de l'air.
2026Brand of the YearFrench bee voted Brand of the Year 2026 (Marque de l'année) by French consumers.
2026Nearly a million passengers978,658 travelers since the route opened, for French bee's 10th anniversary.
French bee crew on board the Paris-Orly – New York Moustache Flight for Movember
Story

The day New York wore a mustache

On November 23, 2025, our Paris-Orly – New York flight was decked out with blue bow ties and mustaches: welcome aboard the Moustache Flight, organized for Movember.

Proceeds from Movember items sold on board throughout the month, and from Duty Free sales on this flight, went to the association Les Hommes de l'air.

New York is waiting for you, at the right price!

Up to 10 flights per week on the Airbus A350, from Paris-Orly.