Emirates SkyCargo expands transatlantic network with Milan–New York freighter service
Emirates SkyCargo has announced a new weekly freighter service connecting Milan Malpensa Airport with New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, expanding dedicated air cargo capacity between Italy and the United States.
The service is scheduled to begin on 5 December 2026, using a Boeing 777-F aircraft with approximately 100 tonnes of cargo capacity per flight. It is designed to support exporters in Northern Italy, particularly the Lombardy region, while providing additional international freight connections for businesses in the Greater New York area.
The new route will accommodate a range of commodities, including pharmaceuticals, vaccines, luxury goods, fashion products, industrial machinery and automotive components. For US exporters, the service will also support onward connections to markets in the Middle East, Asia and Oceania through Emirates SkyCargo’s network in Dubai.
Growing demand on transatlantic trade routes
The expansion follows increased cargo volumes across the carrier’s Italian and North American operations. Emirates SkyCargo reported a 13% year-on-year increase in exports from Milan during its 2025/26 financial year, while export volumes from Italy as a whole grew by more than 12% over the same period.
The carrier currently provides more than 500 tonnes of weekly export capacity from Milan, including over 100 tonnes of bellyhold capacity on passenger services to New York. It also operates a weekly freighter service between Milan and Dubai World Central.
Across its four Italian gateways — Bologna, Milan, Rome and Venice — Emirates SkyCargo offers more than 1,000 tonnes of weekly export capacity. This is supported by road feeder services connecting businesses outside the airports directly served by the airline.
Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates SkyCargo, said the additional freighter capacity would provide exporters with greater flexibility on a major international trade corridor.
“The new freighter service adds important maindeck capacity on a vital trade corridor offering exporters greater access, flexibility and reliability when serving customers in the United States,” said Abbas.
In the United States, Emirates SkyCargo recorded a 23% increase in export volumes from JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport between financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26. The carrier identified pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, perishables, e-commerce shipments and industrial equipment among the principal cargo categories moving from the region.
Wider freighter network expansion
The Milan–New York service forms part of Emirates SkyCargo’s broader network expansion during 2026, which has included the introduction of freighter flights to Los Angeles and Dallas, alongside increased frequencies to Miami.
The carrier has also expanded its dedicated cargo fleet, taking delivery of eight additional freighters, including seven Boeing 777-F production aircraft and one converted Boeing 777-300ER special freighter, according to its latest operational update.
These additions have supported the expansion of the airline’s freighter network from more than 40 destinations in March 2026 to more than 60 by July, increasing dedicated cargo capacity across several international markets.
The new transatlantic service will provide additional capacity for time-sensitive and high-value shipments moving between Italy and the United States, while supporting onward distribution through the carrier’s wider international network.
