US Visa Waiver: Plane tickets linking Romania and the United States start at EUR 250
Travelers planning to take advantage of Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver program will have to pay around EUR 250 for a one-way plane ticket to the United States.
Romania was formally designated the 43rd country to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) on Friday, January 10. As a result, Romanians will be able to travel to the US without the need for a visa starting this spring, around March 31, 2025. This simplifies the entire travel process for Romanian citizens, as they will no longer have to go through the interview process at the embassy and will no longer pay the USD 160 visa fee.
According to the US Embassy in Romania, the VWP is principally a security cooperation program between the United States and partner countries allowing citizens and nationals of designated countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business or tourism (B1/B2 visa) for stays of up to 90 days without first obtaining a visa.
Instead of a visa, Romanians must apply online for authorization to travel to the United States through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The program is reciprocal; program countries must provide the same visa-free travel for US citizens and nationals.
One Direct Flight
Romanians have several options to reach the US by plane. The only direct flights from Romania to the United States are operated by the airline HiSky, with fares starting at EUR 250 currently, according to an analysis by ProTV.
HiSky operates four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Flights depart from Henri Coandă International Airport, near Bucharest, at 9:30 AM and land at JFK Airport at 12:20 PM local time, after a 9-hour and 50-minute flight.
The flights are operated with an Airbus A330-200 aircraft, the first of its kind registered in Romania. The plane has 275 seats, divided into two classes - business and economy.
On the return trip, the departure from JFK is scheduled at 1:25 PM local time, with arrival in Bucharest at 6:15 AM local time.
Layover Flights
In addition to the direct Bucharest - New York route, Romanians can also reach the United States by flying with a stopover at other airports in Europe. Depending on the American cities they wish to reach, travelers can choose layovers in Istanbul, Budapest, Warsaw, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and others.
Among the airlines that operate flights with stopovers to the USA are Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, LOT, KLM, and others.
Ticket prices can vary as a result of the chosen flights. For example, a Bucharest - Los Angeles flight with a stopover in Amsterdam, operated by KLM on March 31, costs EUR 610. Additionally, a Bucharest - Washington DC flight on the same day, operated by British Airways, costs EUR 558, with a stopover in London. Another option would be Bucharest - Miami, with a stopover in Rome, for EUR 420.
(Photo source: Andranik Hakobyan | Dreamstime.com)
