United Airlines (UAL) today unveiled an expanded international schedule from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, New York/Newark and San Francisco. United's announcement includes brand-new service to Nice, France; Palermo, Italy; and Curacao. The airline also announced customers will have more options when planning travel to Europe with additional flights to Amsterdam; London; Frankfurt, Germany; and Zurich and will resume its seasonal summer service earlier to popular destinations including Athens, Greece; Naples, Italy; Porto, Portugal; and Barcelona, Spain.
"United's global network is a tremendous source of pride for our employees and loyal customers – we're always looking for ways to grow and expand our network to connect our customers to more destinations around the world," said United's International Network Vice President Patrick Quayle. "These new additions help position United as the airline of choice for customers planning their business or leisure travel."
New seasonal service between New York/Newark and Curacao, Nice and Palermo
Just in time to escape the winter weather, United is adding Curacao to its Caribbean route network and enabling customers access to all of the ABC islands, including Aruba and Bonaire. Curacao, United's 21st island destination in the Caribbean, will operate on Saturdays beginning Dec. 7, 2019, with Boeing 737-700 aircraft, subject to government approval.
United's unparalleled global route network provides customers with easy access between the United States and many of the world's top vacation destinations. Beginning May 2, 2020, United will offer customers daily nonstop service between New York/Newark and Nice, France – the gateway to the French Riviera. The airline will operate service to Nicewith its premium Boeing 767-300ER aircraft featuring 46 United Polaris business class seats – offering the most premium seats between the United States and southern Franceof any U.S. airline.
In addition, beginning May 20, United will be the only airline offering nonstop daily service between the United States and Palermo, Italy, the capital city of Sicily and United's fifth Italian destination: the most of any U.S. airline. Service to Nice and Palermo is subject to government approval.
In the last two years, United has announced 26 new international routes, including nonstop service between the United States and Prague; Cape Town, South Africa; Tahiti, French Polynesia; Naples, Italy; Porto, Portugal; and Reykjavik, Iceland. United offers the most international destinations from New York City of any U.S. airline.
Offering more international service from Chicago than any U.S. carrier
United will begin daily nonstop year-round service between Chicago O'Hare and Zurich on March 28, 2020. Offering the most flights of any U.S. airline to Switzerland, United will operate service between Chicago and Zurich with its premium 46 Polaris business class Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. From Chicago, United Airlines operates to more year-round international destinations in Europe, Asia and South America than any airline. Zurich is its seventh year-round European destination from Chicago. The new service will complement existing flights from New York/Newark, San Francisco, and Washington.
Offering customers more options to get to Amsterdam and Frankfurt
In addition to United's brand-new and extended routes from its New York/Newark gateway, United announced the addition of a second daily flight between New York/Newark and Amsterdam and Frankfurt, Germany. The additional flights, beginning March 28, 2020, will enable more customers from across the United States to easily connect to Amsterdamand Frankfurt. United, the U.S. carrier with the most flights to Germany, will operate its second daily year-round Frankfurt service with its premium Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 46 United Polaris business class seats. The airline will operate its second daily seasonal flight to Amsterdam with Boeing 767-300ER aircraft featuring 30 United Polaris business class seats. United currently offers nonstop service from five U.S. cities to Amsterdam, including Chicago, Houston, New York/Newark, Washington and San Francisco.
Increasing service to London and New Delhi
Subject to government approval, United will expand service between Denver and Londonto year-round, beginning Nov. 1, 2019, with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. United is the only carrier offering customers both nonstop trans-Atlantic (AT) and trans-Pacific flights from Denver. In addition to London, United offers nonstop year-round service to Frankfurt, Germany, and Tokyo/Narita.
Originally announced as seasonal service between San Francisco and New Delhi, United is expanding the route to year-round service. United will provide business and leisure travelers nonstop access to India from the U.S. West and East Coasts. United will operate its first nonstop service from the U.S. West Coast to India with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft beginning Dec. 5, 2019.
Planning a European summer getaway has never been easier
United announced it is extending its seasonal services between New York/Newark and Athens, Greece; Naples, Italy; and Porto, Portugal, and between Washington and Barcelona, Spain. United will resume service one month earlier between New York/Newark and Porto, Portugal, on March 28, 2020, and will resume service between New York/Newark and Athens and Naples, and between Washington and Barcelona two weeks earlier, on May 8, 2020.
The only airline to fly nonstop between the U.S. and Cape Town, South Africa
Announced in April of this year, United will begin operating the first-ever nonstop service between New York/Newark and Cape Town, South Africa, on Dec. 15, 2019, with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. United's new service decreases the current travel time from New York to Cape Town by more than four hours and will provide customers from more than 80 U.S. cities with easy, one-stop access to Cape Town at United's New York/Newarkhub.
Offering customers more premium seats across the Atlantic
Earlier this year, United announced the next step in its commitment to making more customers more comfortable by adding more premium seats on aircraft serving some of the most popular business and leisure destinations. United has been adding more United Polaris business class seats on Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The reconfigured aircraft feature 16 additional United Polaris business class seats in the premium cabin – a more than 50 percent increase in all-aisle-access seating – bringing the total premium cabin seat count to 46. The aircraft also feature 22 United Premium Plus seats; 47 Economy Plus seats and 52 United Economy seats.
Every customer. Every flight. Every day.
In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers' best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today's announcement, United recently announced that customers on all domestic flights can now choose from three complimentary inflight snack items, announced that luxury skincare line Sunday Riley will make products exclusively for United customers to experience in amenity kits, released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry, introduced ConnectionSaver, a new tool dedicated to improving the experience for customers connecting from one United flight to the next and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats.