Blog > Aviation news > Airline news > Airline routes > United Airlines announces massive international expansion for summer 2025
Blog > Aviation news > Airline news > Airline routes > United Airlines announces massive international expansion for summer 2025
- Airline routes
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- Updated: October 29, 2024
United Airlines announced one of the most important international expansions in its history, with new flights from the Americas to Europe and Africa, as well as an increase in its Asian operations. The company will add services to Croatia, France, Greece, Greenland, Italy, Portugal and Spain in Europe, Senegal in Africa, Mongolia and Taiwan in Asia, and Palau in Oceania.
According to the press release, United will fly its largest-ever trans-Atlantic schedule by summer 2025. Bilbao, Faro, Nice, Nuuk, Madeira, Palermo and Venice will be the new incorporations to the airline’s network of destinations, in addition to increasing frequencies to Athens, Dubrovnik and Palma de Mallorca from Newark/New York.
More than 760 weekly services will be operated by United Airlines to Europe from the USA during summer 2025, among its over 40 destinations on the continent. United consolidates its position as the U.S. carrier with the most flights across the Atlantic.
Newark – Faro · May 16th, 2025
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- UA 281 Newark EWR 21:35 · 09:50+1 FAO Faro
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- UA 282 Faro FAO 11:40 · 15:00 EWR Newark
Newark – Palermo · May 21st, 2025
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- UA 735 Newark EWR 16:15 · 07:15+1 PMO Palermo
Monday, Thursday and Saturday
- UA 736 Palermo PMO 09:45 · 14:15 EWR Newark
Washington DC – Venice · May 22nd, 2025
Daily
- UA 321 Washington IAD 17:25 · 08:05+1 VCE Venice
- UA 322 Venice VCE 10:05 · 14:05 IAD Washington
Washington DC – Nice · May 24th, 2025
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
- UA 242 Washington IAD 17:20 · 08:00+1 NCE Nice
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
- UA 243 Nice NCE 10:05 · 13:55 IAD Washington
Newark – Bilbao · May 31st, 2025
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- UA 633 Newark EWR 21:15 · 10:45+1 BIO Bilbao
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- UA 634 Bilbao BIO 12:30 · 15:00 EWR Newark
Newark – Madeira · June 7th, 2025
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- UA 522 Newark EWR 21:50 · 09:40+1 FNC Madeira
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- UA 523 Madeira FNC 11:30 · 14:00 EWR Newark
Newark – Nuuk · June 14th, 2025
- 2 weekly
The schedule was not released by the airline.
At publication time, United will be the first US airline to operate to the new Nuuk airport, which will enter service on November 28th. The airport’s runway will be extended to 2,200 meters, 1,250 meters longer than at present.
Routes increasing flights (to/from EWR)
- Athens (ATH): increases to daily · March 6th, 2025
- Dubrovnik (DBV): increases to daily · May 1st, 2025
- Palma de Mallorca (PMI): increases to 4 weekly · May 22nd, 2025
All three routes are seasonal.
Routes increasing capacity – effective May 2025
- Chicago (ORD) – Athens (ATH): to be operated with Boeing 787-10
- San Francisco (SFO) – Barcelona (BCN): to be operated with Boeing 787-10
With respect to Senegal, for the first time in its history, United Airlines will offer scheduled flights to Dakar, the country’s capital. Operations will be conducted from Washington DC, with 214-seat Boeing 767-300(ER) aircraft. Dakar will become the company’s sixth destination in Africa, following Accra, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lagos and Marrakech.
Washington DC – Dakar · May 23rd, 2025
- 3 weekly
The schedule was not released by the airline.
United, in Asia, will add two new routes, currently not served by other U.S. carriers. Kaohsiung and Ulaanbaatar, in Taiwan and Mongolia respectively, will be performed from/to Tokyo Narita by Boeing 737-800s seating 166 passengers. In addition, the airline will expand its flights to Koror, Palau, as it currently operates from Guam and Manila with the same aircraft.
Tokyo – Koror · April 2nd, 2025
- 7 weekly flights
The schedule was not released by the airline.
Tokyo – Ulaanbaatar · May 1st, 2025
- 3 weekly flights
The schedule was not released by the airline.
Tokyo – Kaohsiung · July 11th, 2025
- 7 weekly flights
The schedule was not released by the airline.
New routes
| Route | Aircraft (seats) | Weekly seats |
|---|---|---|
| Newark (EWR) - Bilbao (BIO) | Boeing 757 (176) | 528 |
| Newark (EWR) - Faro (FAO) | Boeing 757 (176) | 704 |
| Newark (EWR) - Madeira (FNC) | Boeing 737 (166) | 498 |
| Newark (EWR) - Nuuk (GOH) | Boeing 737 (166) | 332 |
| Newark (EWR) - Palermo (PMO) | Boeing 767 (231) | 693 |
| Tokyo (NRT) - Kaohsiung (KHH) | Boeing 737 (166) | 1.162 |
| Tokyo (NRT) - Ulaanbaatar (UBN) | Boeing 737 (166) | 498 |
| Tokyo (NRT) - Koror (ROR) | Boeing 737 (166) | 1.162 |
| Washington DC (IAD) - Dakar (DSS) | Boeing 767 (214) | 642 |
| Washington DC (IAD) - Nice (NCE) | Boeing 767 (214) | 856 |
| Washington DC (IAD) - Venice (VCE) | Boeing 767 (214) | 1.498 |
| Chicago (ORD) - Athens (ATH) | Boeing 787-10 (318) | 2.226 |
| San Francisco (SFO) - Barcelona (BCN) | Boeing 787-10 (318) | 2.226 |
“No other airline gives customers nonstop access to as many unique international destinations and experiences from the U.S. as United,” said Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances. “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.”
As well as the new long-haul routes, United Airlines also confirmed new short-haul international routes, to start between February and May 2025.
The first launch will be Newark – Dominica, as announced in our Latin America report, effective February 15th, 2025, offering one flight per week. Houston – Puerto Escondido (Mexico) will commence on April 5th, 2025, also with a weekly frequency. Operations between San Francisco and San José (Costa Rica) will be carried out seven times a week, as of May 22nd, 2025.
Newark – Dominica will operate with Boeing 737-700s, Houston – Puerto Escondido by Embraer 175s and San Francisco – San José on Boeing 737 MAX 8s.
Other reports we have published
- Cathay lands deep in the heart of Texas
- Qatar adds a second Canadian destination
- Turkish adds Sydney with a stopover for now
- American Airlines focuses on Europe for summer 2025
- East and West: Edelweiss adds new North American routes
- Reconnecting capitals: Air Canada to restart Ottawa-London flights
Cover photo: Luca Radulescu – JetPhotos (Houston George Bush Intercontinental).
- Published:
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Sebastián Polito is an aviation enthusiast who has dedicated his whole life to learning about airlines, routes, planes and spotting. Today, as a journalist specialized in aviation topics, and as a social networker, from Buenos Aires to the whole world, he continues his professional development with the same essence and passionate love in everything that concerns aviation as the first time he got on a plane at the age of 7 years old.
More about Sebastián Polito
Sebastián Polito is an aviation enthusiast who has dedicated his whole life to learning about airlines, routes, planes and spotting. Today, as a journalist specialized in aviation topics, and as a social networker, from Buenos Aires to the whole world, he continues his professional development with the same essence and passionate love in everything that concerns aviation as the first time he got on a plane at the age of 7 years old.
More about Sebastián Polito
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