DUBAI, 10th November, 2026 (WAM) — Emirates SkyCargo announced that it will launch a new weekly freighter service connecting Milan Malpensa Airport with John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York from 5th December.
The service will provide direct trade connectivity for exporters from Italy, particularly the Lombardy region, to the United States, one of Italy’s most important trading partners.
On the return leg, the service will provide businesses in the United States, particularly in the Greater New York region, with greater export connectivity to markets across the Middle East and Asia via Dubai.
Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President at Emirates SkyCargo, said Milan is a key air cargo gateway for Italy and Europe, where the carrier currently provides more than 500 tonnes of weekly export capacity to global markets, including more than 100 tonnes of weekly bellyhold capacity on passenger flights from Milan to New York.
He said the new freighter service will add important main-deck capacity on this vital trade corridor, providing Italian exporters with greater access, flexibility and reliability when serving customers in the United States.
Abbas added that exports from the Greater New York region have recorded strong growth, increasing demand for reliable access to international markets.
He said that by combining the additional capacity provided by the new freighter service with Emirates SkyCargo’s extensive freighter and passenger network through Dubai, US exporters will benefit from faster connections for pharmaceuticals, e-commerce shipments, perishables and machinery to destinations across the Middle East, Asia and beyond.
The new service will be operated by a Boeing 777F freighter, offering around 100 tonnes of capacity per flight, to meet growing demand for export capacity from Northern Italy and the Lombardy region to global markets.
Exports from Milan carried by Emirates SkyCargo increased by 13 percent in the 2025-2026 financial year compared with the previous year.
By providing direct freighter connectivity between Milan and New York, the largest air cargo export destination for Italian goods, Emirates SkyCargo will provide Italian exporters with faster and more efficient access to customers across North America.
Emirates SkyCargo also operates one weekly freighter service between Milan and Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai.
Key commodities exported by air from Milan include pharmaceuticals, vaccines and clinical trial medicines, luxury goods and fashion products, industrial equipment and machinery parts, high-end vehicles, fresh produce and speciality food products.
Major export markets include the Middle East, the United States, Australia and South Africa.
Exports from Italy carried by Emirates SkyCargo grew by more than 12 percent between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 financial years.
The carrier currently offers more than 1,000 tonnes of weekly export cargo capacity from its four Italian gateways — Bologna, Milan, Rome and Venice.
It also operates a road feeder network connecting Italian businesses located beyond its direct gateways with Emirates SkyCargo’s global network.
From New York, the new freighter service will provide additional options for businesses in the Greater New York region and northeastern United States to transport exports to global markets.
Export volumes carried by Emirates SkyCargo through John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport increased by 23 percent between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 financial years.
Key exports from New York and surrounding areas include pharmaceuticals and healthcare products, perishables, e-commerce shipments, machinery and industrial components.
Combining dedicated freighter capacity with Emirates SkyCargo’s wider freighter and passenger network will provide customers with greater flexibility, faster transit times and access to one of the world’s most extensive air cargo networks.
In addition to the new New York service, Emirates SkyCargo launched freighter flights to Los Angeles and Dallas in 2026 and increased frequencies to Miami, further strengthening connectivity between North America and its global network.
Emirates SkyCargo also significantly expanded its freighter fleet and global network during 2026, taking delivery of eight freighter aircraft, including seven Boeing 777F production freighters and one Boeing 777 converted into a dedicated freighter.
The expansion supported the growth of its freighter network from more than 40 destinations in March 2026 to more than 60 by July 2026.
Alongside dedicated freighter services, Emirates SkyCargo provides significant bellyhold cargo capacity on Emirates passenger aircraft serving destinations across six continents.
Source: Emirates News Agency