What are the largest UA destinations without mainline flights?

palmetto86 · Dec 26, 12, 12:29 pm

[ This topic may be covered in another thread that I couldn't find, so mods feel free to move. ]

I'm currently at CLT, after visiting parents, and always shocked at the lack of mainline service here. There are only a few flights a week (to ORD on W and Th) that ever see mainline UA service. Everything else is regional.

I know it's a major US hub, but how can UA not support mainline to IAH or SFO? UA even has more mainline service right up the road at RDU, including the new flight to SFO. US sends 6-7x A321 to SFO daily. How can UA just give that away?

Any other major airports out there with few/no mainline flights?

kale73 · Dec 26, 12, 1:00 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmetto86

Any other major airports out there with few/no mainline flights?

CLE?

WIRunner · Dec 26, 12, 1:02 pm

MKE is all UX, but it does have near hourly service to ORD

WineCountryUA · Dec 26, 12, 1:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmetto86

...I'm currently at CLT, after visiting parents, and always shocked at the lack of mainline service here. There are only a few flights a week (to ORD on W and Th) that ever see mainline UA service. Everything else is regional. ...

as semi-regular CLT flyer (parents live in the area also), there is regular daily service on AirBusii to ORD (5-ish PM). Maybe not this week but checking the schedule, I see it all weekdays & Sunday for Jan, FEB, ...

And lots of regional to IAH or IAD or EWR and additional regionals to ORD

But given it is a US hub and US is a partner, guess not too surprizing

MBS PremExec · Dec 26, 12, 1:11 pm

Milwaukee, 28th largest city in the USA, 1.5 million in the metro area.

Memphis, 20th largest city in the USA, 1.3 million in the metro area.

Nashville, 1.5 million in the metro area.

St. Louis, 2.8 million in the metro area.

None of these above markets have mainline UA service, including sCO flights/routes.

Those are just a few off of the top of my head. All are relatively close to CLT in metro population (1.7 million).

It's a shame, really. Many other carriers make quite a go with mainline service into these cities (and more).

mcgahat · Dec 26, 12, 1:13 pm

When I think of city size I think of marketing area. I used to work with TV stations a lot. CLT is smaller than STL and it is all express I think. Also, IND is about in that same market size and it is all express. Given that CLT is a US hub....I am not surprised. Remember, when the going gets tough, UA gets going.

trk1 · Dec 26, 12, 1:14 pm

STL has mainline UA to Sfo. Ewr coming soon

Cle has between 32 and 38 mainline flights daily

rob_flies_ua · Dec 26, 12, 1:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBS PremExec

St. Louis, 2.8 million in the metro area.

SFO-STL is mainline.

kale73 · Dec 26, 12, 1:24 pm

Looks like PBC, serving the fourth largest city in Mexico (metro pop > 2.5 million) has a single UAX flight from IAH every day.

hobo13 · Dec 26, 12, 1:27 pm

I would think that it is possible to spin some statistics about number of UA flights or number of hubs served without mainline service -- such that COS makes it onto the list.

rch4u · Dec 26, 12, 1:32 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by trk1

STL has mainline UA to Sfo. Ewr coming soon

STL-EWR is not going mainline.

kale73 · Dec 26, 12, 1:37 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobo13

I would think that it is possible to spin some statistics about number of UA flights or number of hubs served without mainline service -- such that COS makes it onto the list.

Yeah. ABQ is down to one mainline flight a day - to IAD. ABQ-IAH is now all CRJ 200.

mrswirl · Dec 26, 12, 1:52 pm

I'm not positive but I believe ATL has gone to all RJ's.

I was going to say YYZ but then realized there's still a couple of A319's from ORD every day.

LASUA1K · Dec 26, 12, 2:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrswirl

I'm not positive but I believe ATL has gone to all RJ's.

I was going to say YYZ but then realized there's still a couple of A319's from ORD every day.

ATL still has 1 flight to ORD and IAH a day.

I remember flying 737's on ord-mke runs. Miss those days. I really do wish, UA could start flying mainline to BNA, MEM, and more STL.

BH62 · Dec 26, 12, 2:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LASUA1K

ATL still has 1 flight to ORD and IAH a day.

I remember flying 737's on ord-mke runs. Miss those days. I really do wish, UA could start flying mainline to BNA, MEM, and more STL.

I think that DTW is also minimally served by mainline flights (at least pre-merger)