United Airlines adds some interesting destinations for 2025

It seems 2025 is on United Airlines is planning a big expansion for 2025, with some rather interesting destinations being lined up

Europe

Starting in May 2025, United will launch five new nonstop flights from its hub in Newark/New York to destinations no other U.S. airline serves including Nuuk, Greenland; Palermo, Italy; Bilbao, Spain; Madeira Island, Portugal and Faro, Portugal.

The airline is also adding three new nonstop routes from Washington D.C./Dulles, including its first-ever flight to Dakar, Senegal operating year-round and new seasonal nonstop flights to Nice, France and Venice, Italy.

These routes are in addition to its currently planned timetable across the Atlantic, which will now increase to more than 760 weekly flights.

The airline is also extending operations to  Venice, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Barcelona, Spain with earlier start dates next summer, whilst increasing the number of weekly direct flights between Newark/New York-Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Newark/New York-Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Newark/New York–Athens, Greece.

Asia and Beyond

United is also adding new direct flights from Tokyo–Narita to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and Kaohsiung – destinations no other U.S. airline serves – and a new nonstop flight to Koror, Palau.

These new flights will connect at Tokyo-Narita to United’s transpacific services to five hub locations in the continental United States.

All new flights are subject to government approval and will be available from United Airlines as well as the usual distribution network.

In Quotes

Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances.

“No other airline gives customers nonstop access to as many unique international destinations and experiences from the U.S. as United,” said 

“Our network provides the most choice and variety for our customers, whether they are looking for a relaxing seaside getaway, once-in-a-lifetime adventure travel or to explore some of the most vibrant urban escapes across the globe.”

How large is that International network?

In total next summer, United will offer 800 daily flights to and from 147 international destinations – including 40 that no other U.S. airline serves.

Trying something very different

United Airlines is to be commended for trying something different – other than adding more capacity to the big European destinations – be they  London, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and so on, with a lot of these routes focusing on driving new tourism traffic, as well as destinations that have been hard to reach.

It also shows United Airlines is looking beyond its normal Toyko Narita hub and expanding to operate fifth-freedom flights – again trying new routes to see how they stick and land with its customer base.

Now, these routes aren’t being run out of charity – so the airline must have commercial data to back up that these routes are at least viable (and if an airport has spotted some route-launch aid, it goes a long way in spinning up a new service).

I like is boldness from United Airlines to try something a little different to the norm.

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