United Airlines just unveiled its latest slate of new routes beginning next year, including an expansion to several smaller destinations in Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal. But in a shocker, the airline is also adding a first-of-its kind nonstop flight to Greenland … and one-stop service straight to Mongolia, too.
United announced all that and more on Thursday, with a heavy focus on adding nonstop service to second- and third-tier European cities while putting some astounding cities on its map across the Pacific. It's just another instance of United's big-and-bold strategy, helping travelers reach fun (and at times) puzzling destinations that other airlines wouldn't dare try.
“The savvy traveler has been to Paris, Rome, and Madrid so many times that they're looking for something different,” Patrick Quayle, United's senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, told CNBC.
Many of these new additions will depart from its megahub in Newark (EWR) starting next spring, including:
- Nuuk, Greenland (GOH) begins June 14
- Palermo, Italy (PMO) begins May 21
- Bilbao, Spain (BIO) begins May 31
- Madeira, Portugal (FNC) begins June 7
- Faro, Portugal (FAO) begins May 16
But United is also adding new routes across the Atlantic from from Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD), including:
- Dakar, Senegal (DSS) begins May 23
- Nice, France (NCE) begins May 24
- Venice, Italy (VCE) begins May 22
It's a massive and groundbreaking expansion, flying straight to several smaller European markets that no airline currently serves nonstop from the U.S. With the exception of its new service from Washington, D.C. to Senegal, all those new nonstop routes will only fly seasonally through the summer or into early fall.
But what's even more surprising is where United will begin flying across the Pacific Ocean … with a pit-stop in Tokyo-Narita (NRT). United has operated a small hub in Tokyo for years, using it as a home base to fly to Guam (GUM) and small islands scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean.
But now, United is also adding flights from Tokyo to:
- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (UBN) starting May 1
- Koror, Palau (ROR) starting April 2
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan (KHH) effective July 11
That means travelers could fly from San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), or Newark (EWR) to Mongolia or the Pacific island of Palau with just one stop.
In addition to those mind-blowing routes across both oceans, the airline says it will begin its transatlantic seasonal schedule earlier next year – an increasing trend in transatlantic travel that is seeing more routes start in April or even March instead of the usual mid-May to mid-June peak season.
That includes ramping up flights from Newark (EWR) to:
- Athens, Greece (ATH) now beginning Mar. 6
- Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV) now beginning May 1
- Venice, Italy (VCE) now beginning Mar. 29
Plus, the carrier will deploy a larger Boeing 787-10 with more seats on popular routes between San Francisco (SFO) and Barcelona (BCN) as well as Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) and Athens (ATH).
To add even more flying from Newark (EWR), the airline is upping the number of flights to Palma de Mallorca (PMI) to four a week while also increasing to daily flights to Dubrovnik (DBV) next spring.
Greenland
United is planting a flag in Greenland, becoming the first U.S. airline to fly there nonstop.
Tiny Air Greenland tried the route from Baltimore (BWI) in 2007, but shuttered the effort after just 26 flights, according to aviation analytics data from Cirium. For now, Americans trying to get to Greenland have to go through Reykjavik (KEF) or Copenhagen (CPH) to get there via Icelandair or Air Greenland.
No more. United will begin flying nonstop from Newark (EWR) to Nuuk (GOH) starting June 14, offering two flights a week.
The arctic nation may not be known for its sunny beaches or bar scene, but the world’s largest island offers plenty for those looking for a lesser-tread, hearty, adventurous vacation through the fjords and mountains of Nuuk and its surroundings.
Nonstops to Sicily
United is trying nonstops to Sicily again.
First announced way back in 2019, United's original plan to fly nonstop to Palermo (PMO) was thwarted by the pandemic. United will fly from Newark to the southern Italian isle three times a week starting May 21. The airline plans to use a Boeing 767-400, which means it's decked out with United Polaris business class seats at the front.
But United won't be alone on the island. Delta is also adding nonstop service from New York City (JFK) to Catania (CTA) on the other side of the island as part of its own 2025 expansion plans.
Other airlines have tried and failed to make nonstops to Sicily work. Little-known carrier Neos Airlines flew just 34 times between New York City and Palermo earlier this year. More than a decade ago, the now defunct Italian airline Meridiana did the same for a few years.
United and Delta are betting Sicily is in vogue enough to merit nonstop service from the New York City-area for 2025.
Nonstops to Basque Country in Spain
United will be the first airline to fly nonstop from the states to the Basque Country city of Bilbao up in northern Spain.
The famous semi-autonomous community in northern Spain is known for its beautiful landscapes, rocky Pyrenees Mountains, and its show-stopping cuisine. But until now, travelers heading for Basque Country would have to make a connection elsewhere in Europe to make it happen.
United will fly from Newark to Bilbao three times a week starting May 21, 2025.
Madeira & Faro in Portugal
Lisbon and Porto are so 2024. United is adding nonstop flights to two lesser-known Portuguese destinations to the map.
That includes nonstop service to the island of Madeira, located in between in between the Canary Islands and the Azores Islands in the Atlantic Ocean – and best known as the birthplace of renowned soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. No U.S. airline has flown there nonstop, though Azores Airlines has offered service from both Boston (BOS) and New York City (JFK) over the years.
United will commence three flights a week from Newark to Madeira starting June 7, 2025.
United is also adding nonstops from Newark straight to the Portuguese beach down of Faro (FAO) – the first-ever nonstop route from the U.S., period, according to data from Cirium.
The old town on the southern tip of Portugal is known for both its history and its expansive beaches. Currently, Americans have to fly into Lisbon (LIS) before heading further south.
Those two routes add to United's existing service to Lisbon, Porto (OPO) and Ponta Delgada (PDL) in the Azores Islands, just northwest of Maderia.
More Service to Senegal
United won't even be the first U.S. airline to fly nonstop to Dakar (DSS) in Senegal – Delta has been flying there from New York City (JFK) for seven years and counting.
But notably, this will be United’s seventh nonstop flight to the African continent, joining its existing routes from Newark to both Cape Town (CPT) and Johannesburg (JNB) in South Africa; Marrakesh, Morocco (RAK); and from Washington, DC.-Dulles (IAD) to both Accra (ACC) in Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria (LOS).
In a statement, United bragged that it “will now fly to more destinations in Africa than any other U.S. carrier.”
Mongolia, Palau & More: New Routes Connecting via Tokyo
Somehow, nonstop service to Greenland wasn't even the most surprising addition of the bunch.
That’s because United announced some what you could only describe as “throw-stuff-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks” routes to Mongolia, Taiwan, and the tiny Micronesian island nation of Palau.
Why? Because United operates flights from many of its major U.S. hubs to Tokyo-Narita (NRT). With that, it can offer one-stop itineraries to new destinations that no other U.S. airline can reach.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (UBN) is one of the most remote cities on earth, and United Airlines just added it to its route map with one-stop service from the U.S. via Tokyo. No U.S. airline has ever served Mongolia. Aside from Turkish Airlines, most travelers likely would never have heard of any of the other airlines that currently fly to and from the Mongolian capital.
Kaohsiung, Taiwan (KHH) is in the same category. It’s never been served by a U.S. airline, but will be thanks to United connections in Tokyo. United already flies to the far bigger Taiwanese city of Taipei (TPE).
Koror (ROR) on the island of Palau is triangulated between the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Guam in the western Pacific Ocean, an oceanic country is known for its natural beauty. Notably, United currently already flies to Palau … but that's part of United's unique network in the Pacific, with flights from Guam (GUM) and Manila (MNL).
Bottom Line
You know an airline is going big and bold when it announces nonstop flights to Greenland … and it's still not the biggest news of the day.
United is adding a slew of new destinations to its map starting next spring, from first-ever nonstop service to second- and even third-tier European cities to some bewildering one-stop itineraries to Mongolia, Taiwan, and even Palau.
