Spanish carrier Vueling, and American Airlines have announced a new connection agreement, which will bring more long-haul passenger traffic to Barcelona.

The two airlines will help increase long-haul passenger traffic at Barcelona’s El Prat airport, making Barcelona a major gateway to Europe.

American Airlines passengers will also be able to benefit from Vueling’s 140 destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, via Barcelona.

The new agreement became effective at the end of last week via American Airline’s offices and reservation lines, and will give the US carrier’s passengers a larger choice of flights, allowing them to travel on a single ticket and book luggage through to their final destination.

American Airlines now operates daily services from Barcelona terminal one to New York (JFK) and Miami (MIA). The agreement also covers flights to Philadelphia (PHL) and Charlotte (CLT) which will both be operated by US Airways when they launch in April and May respectively.

Vueling is working with the authorities to help make Barcelona a major hub for short and medium-haul flights in Europe.

The Spanish airline has now carried more than 7 million connecting passengers, after it began operating connecting flights in 2010. It will exceed 325 short and medium-haul routes this year and will operate more than 700 flights every day.

Vueling’s expansion is also being achieved with intercontinental connections via agreements with long-haul carriers such as Qatar Airways and now American Airlines.

The leading carrier at Barcelona’s El Prat airport with a 37 percent market share, Vueling is currently strengthening its position in North Africa, with 14 destinations in total for this summer.

Barcelona and Aeroports de Catalunya are set to host World Routes in September 2017, the 23^rd World Route development forum, and the world’s largest commercial aviation event, fully supported by Vueling and Emirates who have both agreed to be official carriers for the event.