As for this announcement, it was already known that UA was going to resume LAX-NRT at the end of October per their remarks in the recent DOT filings for Delta's unsuccessful attempt to move their HND slots. Only surprise is UA is going double daily 787-10 on LAX-TYO. Someone correct me here on this but this is probably the most amount of seats UA has sold on their metal between LAX and TYO ever? Going back prior to the merger, the seat count is slightly less than the equivalent of a 747-400 and 777-200.

LAX-HKG resuming is something I did not have on my list but now it has been announced, I am not surprised. While it has failed twice before, remember the equipment that was being used prior: 747-400s. I don't believe UA ever flew LAX-HKG on a 777-200ER. Again, someone correct me here if I am wrong. This is a 787-9 flight. I don't believe UA has discontinued a single 787-9 route they operated, except for LAX-SIN moving to SFO-SIN and that is due to LAX-SIN being just too far for a 787-9. (SFO-CTU/XIY/HGH were all 787-8s if I am not mistaken.) UA purposely based the 787s in LAX at the start because they made the most sense profitably. They were losing money on LAX-PVG with a 777-200ER and then switched to a 787-8 initially and later became one of the first 787-9 routes. Financial performance turned around with a change of equipment. As mentioned earlier, CX is still not fully recovered and is only operating LAX-HKG 12 times a week. In November, UA is operating the only daytime departure four times a week and twice a week, UA has to complete just one other CX flight. AA won't be back on LAX-HKG and DFW-HKG does not look like it will resume anytime soon. With Russian Airspace closed for the foreseeable future, no other HKG flight could be profitably operated with a 787-9, except for LAX-HKG. Good job on UA. I mentioned LAX-SIN earlier and if UA does introduce a more premium 787-9 configuration on their 787-9s they will be taking next year, which will also have a higher MTOW, LAX-SIN could definitely make a comeback. Fewer seats overall with more upfront and additional range due to higher MTOW could very well make a difference for a third SIN flight, especially if a more premium configuration is introduced on SFO-SIN, slightly reducing the number of seats sold on those flights.

As for SFO-MNL, it was long understood that UA wanted to resume this flight years ago but had a significant problem getting proper landing slots. What was available was landing just after 4:00 AM and flying back to SFO at 7:00 AM. Neither are ideal. I did not believe this flight was going to happen until the new Manila airport opened in a few years. It is still possible this flight may end up moving to that airport. For the equipment, I thought United was also going to wait until they received the higher MTOW version of the 787-10 which would just bring SFO-MNL into range, albeit weight restricted in the winter months similar to SFO-SIN, given the configuration of the aircraft and being much more fuel efficient. But, UA's 77W configuration is relatively dense. Keep in mind it was ordered to seat 366, a virtual one for one replacement for the 747-400s. Even with the addition of PP, it still seats 350. While many here rightfully wonder how UA intends to fill the front of the airplane with paying passengers, let us compare the Philippine economy of 2023 with the one of 1997 on the eve of the Asian Financial Crisis. (I still cannot believe UA actually briefly flew SFO-MNL using a 747-400.) GDP per Capita on PPP is five times larger now than it was in 1997. Also, the already mentioned businesses looking to leave the PRC for elsewhere and the Philippines is a great alternative for previously listed reasons.

I know its hard for many here to believe UA will be successful on resuming both LAX-HKG and SFO-MNL but times have changed with UA being a much healthier airline coming out of the pandemic, the competition is struggling on multiple fronts, and the right equipment for the route resumptions makes it a worthwhile choice. On a side note as for SFO-ICN, I believe the second SFO-ICN is going to resume in the Spring, but don't quote me on that. Once the OZ/KE merger is approved, could be a few years, and OZ leaves Star, SFO-ICN either becomes double daily year-round or UA introduces a new ICN flight from EWR/ORD, which would be huge as UA has all non-TYO East Asia flying from their hubs concentrated at SFO right now. LAX-HKG in fact will be the first non-TYO flight outside of SFO to start up since the pandemic.