United Introduces 9 New European Routes Just in Time for Summer

United Airlines is making waves in Europe. On Tuesday, the airline announced its most significant transatlantic expansion ever, with plans to launch or resume 30 transatlantic flights by June, increasing United’s transatlantic route network by 25 percent compared to 2019.

Following two challenging years for international air travel due to the pandemic, United is now witnessing a surge in demand for 2022 as travel restrictions and health protocols ease both domestically and internationally. Patrick Quayle, United's senior vice president of international networks and alliances, mentioned that the airline is expecting a "strong demand recovery."

The bold new schedule, set to commence this month, features routes where United faces little to no competition from other U.S. airlines, as noted by Quayle. During a press briefing with Dinogo last fall when the expansion was first revealed, he acknowledged that the new timetable includes some "surprising and new locations," emphasizing that "we want to make travel enjoyable again."

In addition to adding distinctive leisure destinations, United will enhance flight services from U.S. gateways to European cities where it already operates.

The focus on leisure destinations partly reflects the ongoing lag in business travel compared to pre-pandemic levels. Quayle also mentioned that some of the expanding countries have a robust "VFR" (visiting friends and relatives) market, like Portugal. He highlighted that in 2022, United will operate the most flights between the U.S. and Portugal of any North American airline.

United’s Updated International Flight Schedule

• Bergen, Norway: Thrice-weekly flights commence on May 20 from Newark to this favored starting point for Norway’s fjords.
• Palma de Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands: Experience the beautiful beaches of Mallorca with three weekly flights from Newark starting June 2.
• Ponta Delgada in Portugal’s Azores: Daily flights from Newark begin on May 13, making access to this emerging island getaway much simpler.
• Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands: The volcanic islands off Africa’s west coast are now accessible with three weekly flights from Newark starting June 9.
• Amman, Jordan: Flights from Washington, D.C. to Amman begin on May 5 with three weekly services (How about a visit to Petra?).

United is also reintroducing these flights (some of which were paused due to the pandemic) to its established European hubs:

• London: New daily flights from Boston began on April 14.
• Munich, Germany: Greetings to Bavarian food, music, and scenery—new daily services from Denver started on April 23.
• Zurich, Switzerland: New flights to this charming lakeside city from Chicago began on April 23.
• Milan, Italy: New daily service from Chicago, launching on May 6, will be the only direct flight connecting these two cities, bringing Midwestern travelers straight to Italy’s fashion capital.
• Nice, France: Daily flights from Newark commenced on April 29.

Additionally, United is enhancing services on these existing routes:

• New York/Newark to Dublin: second daily flight (launched April 2)
• Denver to London Heathrow: second daily flight (starting May 7)
• New York/Newark to Frankfurt: second daily flight (commencing May 26)
• New York/Newark to Rome: increasing to five times weekly (starting May 27)
• San Francisco to London Heathrow: introducing a third daily flight (beginning May 28)
• New York/Newark to London Heathrow: ramping up service to seven daily flights (starting May 28)
• Washington/Dulles to Accra, Ghana: service will increase to daily flights (beginning May 8)
• New York/Newark to Cape Town, South Africa: expected to resume year-round service when flights restart on June 5

All of United’s newly launched, expanded, and reinstated flights are now available for booking at United.com.

New connections to Asia and Oceania through Singapore Airlines

United is also expanding its international presence in other ways. This week, United and Singapore Airlines renewed their codeshare agreement, providing United customers access to new destinations across Asia and Oceania.

United passengers can now connect to Perth in Australia; Male in the Maldives; Siem Reap in Cambodia; Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya in Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia; and Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei.

In return, Singapore Airlines customers can connect to United’s flights from Los Angeles to Austin, Baltimore, Boise, Cleveland, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno, and Sacramento—10 new U.S. destinations available through the codeshare.

This expansion coincides with Singapore's decision, effective April 26, to allow fully vaccinated travelers (and children under 13) to enter the city-state without the need for a negative COVID test result.

"We are the only U.S. airline offering direct flights to Singapore from the U.S., with our nonstop San Francisco–Singapore route," said Quayle.

Travelers looking to explore United’s new routes should keep in mind that international travel requirements and restrictions are constantly changing. It's important to consult the U.S. State Department’s comprehensive COVID-19 travel information and country-specific advisories, which are frequently updated. We regularly verify these details against the entry requirements issued by each country's foreign or public health office for the most accurate information.

Moreover, all international travelers aged two and older arriving in the U.S. (including returning citizens and permanent residents) must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within one day prior to boarding their flight to the United States.

The CDC also offers thorough travel guidelines during the pandemic, applicable to both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.

This article was first published on October 14, 2021, and has been updated to reflect the latest information.