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-   United Airlines | MileagePlus (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus-681/)
-   -   What Route(s) do you wish UA Flew? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1863367-what-route-s-do-you-wish-ua-flew.html)

zymm Nov 28, 2023 7:43 pm

I will add my vote for absolutely anything out of OAK. I would also love a SJC-DCA route, but I realize there aren't going to be new DCA exception routes popping up anytime soon

nexus7556 Nov 28, 2023 7:51 pm


Originally Posted by zymm (Post 35780024)
I will add my vote for absolutely anything out of OAK. I would also love a SJC-DCA route, but I realize there aren't going to be new DCA exception routes popping up anytime soon

+1 for more SJC service

Muerz Nov 29, 2023 2:35 am

Bring me IAD-LUX!

n198ua Nov 29, 2023 5:31 am

I’ll say it again….

BKK BKK BKK BKK BKK BKK BKK

goodeats21 Nov 29, 2023 8:05 am


Originally Posted by n198ua (Post 35780689)
I’ll say it again….

BKK BKK BKK BKK BKK BKK BKK

And I will add one more! BKK!

n198ua Nov 29, 2023 8:42 am


Originally Posted by goodeats21 (Post 35780984)
And I will add one more! BKK!

I know a little about UA’s history at BKK, but I’m just shocked that wouldn’t be a profitable route. Every single time I fly into BKK the ANA flight is packed, doesn’t matter what time or how far out; always stuck in the middle.
Edit to add I just looked at a RT DSM-BKK in PE for February 15 days and they’re getting close to $3500. It’s got to be a money maker. (Says the armchair airline CEO)

Longboater Nov 29, 2023 10:37 am

Not to make this a BKK-only discussion but if Thailand were to be relatively stable politically over the next several years, combined with those new 787-9s being delivered starting next year, I am sure SFO-BKK will get serious consideration a few years. Just look at SFO-MNL granted it took 25 years for it to come back after the economic meltdown in 1998, although part of that was United was unable to get proper takeoff and landing slots for the past several years and finally got them a month ago. Having the 777-300ER was also necessary given its fuel burn, capacity especially for the rear, and cargo hold as compared to the long since retired 747-400s. All indications are it is off to a good start, especially in the rear and in the cargo hold. SFO-BKK is within range of the 777-300ER, even with avoiding Russian airspace, but unlikely to carry much of any cargo given that is pretty much at the limit of the 777-300ERs range.

exerda Nov 29, 2023 11:32 am

Of course SE Asia nonstops from the US, of course (not just BKK, though that would be a great (re)start for a UA destination).

Selfishly, anywhere in WV that isn't CRW, and expanded CRW service beyond the meager 2x from ORD. I get that it's not great economically and that the majority of WV O&D traffic is either flying private or LCCs (very little in the middle), but I have family that's a 5+ hour drive from IAD and the only UA service now means a long ORD connection (and end-on-end ticketing, so $$$) followed by a 1.5 hour drive--not exactly a good use of time or money. I used to love the EAS service into BKW, then into LWB after Colgan dropped its EAS service to BKW. I sometimes have business travel to CKB, and the loss of UA service there hurts (4+ hour drive, or fly to PIT and drive 1.5 hours which is what I'd end up doing now).

More IAD-Central America nonstop options. Connecting in IAH isn't terrible--EWR feels like way too much backtracking, though.

Just so I can say "I've flown to every state," service to DE (UA has service to the other 2 states I have visited but not flown to, namely IA and MS).

Boraxo Nov 29, 2023 2:29 pm


Originally Posted by n198ua (Post 35781085)
I know a little about UA’s history at BKK, but I’m just shocked that wouldn’t be a profitable route. Every single time I fly into BKK the ANA flight is packed, doesn’t matter what time or how far out; always stuck in the middle.
Edit to add I just looked at a RT DSM-BKK in PE for February 15 days and they’re getting close to $3500. It’s got to be a money maker. (Says the armchair airline CEO)


Originally Posted by Longboater (Post 35781374)
Not to make this a BKK-only discussion but if Thailand were to be relatively stable politically over the next several years, combined with those new 787-9s being delivered starting next year, I am sure SFO-BKK will get serious consideration a few years. Just look at SFO-MNL granted it took 25 years for it to come back after the economic meltdown in 1998, although part of that was United was unable to get proper takeoff and landing slots for the past several years and finally got them a month ago. Having the 777-300ER was also necessary given its fuel burn, capacity especially for the rear, and cargo hold as compared to the long since retired 747-400s. All indications are it is off to a good start, especially in the rear and in the cargo hold. SFO-BKK is within range of the 777-300ER, even with avoiding Russian airspace, but unlikely to carry much of any cargo given that is pretty much at the limit of the 777-300ERs range.

This topic was extensively discussed on the master BKK thread (which also addresses connecting routings via Japan, HKG and SIN).

In short since at least the 1980s BKK has been primarily a leisure destination without sufficient high value O/D traffic to make a non-stop profitable. You need paid corp biz class travel and BKK is no longer the manufacturing hub (or anything else) having been supplanted by Vietnam, Philippines, China etc. On the leisure side it is overwhelmingly the backpackers, students and others looking for a cheap vacation, not the jetset crowd that pays $5k for biz class nonstops to Europe. And BKK is not a transit hub like SIN, HKG. NRT, etc. Maybe Freddy Laker could make this route work but it doesn't fit the biz model for legacy carriers which require high fare paid biz class to turn a profit.

I would be happy to see it but not gonna happen.

Kmxu Jan 26, 2024 6:57 am


Originally Posted by dcpdxtrans (Post 35943741)
Bolding mine. On UA, I almost exclusively fly int'l from IAH/ORD and occasionally from EWR/IAD. The last time I flew int'l out of SFO I was running to make my plane. I've been looking forward to try SFO PL bc I thought it would be the flagship PL. This month, I was looking at flights and specifically was planning to fly into SFO primarily so that I could try its PL (and since flight times worked). I had no idea at least one reputable person thinks it is Worst PL.

If you have a poll at FT, SFO PL will be dead last. The newer ones such as LAX (i have not visited it yet) and IAD are much better. IAH is too small while EWR is too crowded. But I have special feeling for ORD because it was the first one to open.

trk1 Jan 26, 2024 7:39 am

IAD to GSP

TravellingChris Jan 31, 2024 4:22 pm


Originally Posted by Boraxo (Post 35782055)
This topic was extensively discussed on the master BKK thread (which also addresses connecting routings via Japan, HKG and SIN).

In short since at least the 1980s BKK has been primarily a leisure destination without sufficient high value O/D traffic to make a non-stop profitable. You need paid corp biz class travel and BKK is no longer the manufacturing hub (or anything else) having been supplanted by Vietnam, Philippines, China etc. On the leisure side it is overwhelmingly the backpackers, students and others looking for a cheap vacation, not the jetset crowd that pays $5k for biz class nonstops to Europe. And BKK is not a transit hub like SIN, HKG. NRT, etc. Maybe Freddy Laker could make this route work but it doesn't fit the biz model for legacy carriers which require high fare paid biz class to turn a profit.

I would be happy to see it but not gonna happen.

Air Canada seems to be making YVR-BKK work.

ContinentalFan Jan 31, 2024 5:15 pm

I’d like to see the following:

LAX-SIN
LAX-MNL
LAX-BKK
LAX-DXB
LAX-MUC
LAX-DUB
LAX-TLV

PsiFighter37 Jan 31, 2024 6:50 pm

Until UA starts taking more delivery of 787s and 321XLRs, my hunch is that there will far less international route announcements than there have been in the past. Even the northern summer 2024 announcement was quite underwhelming compared to what they have done in recent summers.

Just to add my own $0.02 on a route that I’d like to see (and one I think might have a decent chance of coming back once SK leaves for SkyTeam) is EWR-CPH.

Longboater Jan 31, 2024 8:09 pm

Yeah I second 2024 route announcements may be a bit underwhelming if the new 787-9s are delayed until late Q4. Was thinking that a resumption of LAX-SIN with the new 787-9 with more seats in Polaris and PP would happen this fall but might have to wait until next year.


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