Sep 9, 2020, 10:00 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United Airlines Strengthens Global Network, Adding New Nonstops to Africa, India and Hawaii
United to operate first-ever nonstop service between the United States and Bangalore, India and new service between Chicago and New Delhi, India
Announces new nonstop service between U.S. East Coast and Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; and Johannesburg, South Africa
First-ever nonstop service between Chicago and Kona and between Newark/New York and Maui
CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced plans to expand its global route network with new nonstop service to Africa, India and Hawaii. With these new routes, United will offer more nonstop service to India and South Africa than any other U.S. carrier and remains the largest carrier between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.
Starting this December, United will fly daily between Chicago and New Delhi and, starting in spring 2021, United will become the only airline to operate between San Francisco and Bangalore, India and between Newark/New York and Johannesburg. United will also introduce new service between Washington, D.C., and Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria in late spring of 2021. In the summer of 2021, United will fly nonstops four times weekly between Chicago and Kona and between Newark/New York and Maui. And starting this week, United, the airline offering more nonstop service to Israel than any other U.S. carrier, begins new nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv, the only carrier to offer this service.
United's newly announced international routes are subject to government approval and tickets will be available for purchase on united.com and the United app in the coming weeks.
"Now is the right time to take a bold step in evolving our global network to help our customers reconnect with friends, family and colleagues around the world," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network and Alliances. "These new nonstop routes provide shorter travel times and convenient one-stop connections from across the United States, demonstrating United's continued innovative and forward-looking approach to rebuilding our network to meet the travel needs of our customers."
Offering nonstop service to three new destinations in Africa
United will become the only U.S. carrier serving Accra nonstop from Washington, D.C. and the only airline to serve Lagos nonstop from Washington, D.C., with three weekly flights to each destination beginning in late spring 2021. The Washington metropolitan area has the second-largest population of Ghanaians in the United States, and Lagos is the largest Western African destination from the United States. Now, with 65 different U.S. cities connecting through Washington Dulles, United will offer convenient one-stop connections to Western Africa.
United already provides seasonal, three-times-weekly service between Newark/New York and Cape Town. By adding new daily nonstop flights between Newark/New York and Johannesburg in spring 2021, the airline will operate more flights to South Africa than any other U.S. carrier, and will offer the only roundtrip, nonstop service from the United States to Johannesburg by a U.S carrier. These routes also offer easy connections for customers traveling to South Africa from more than 50 U.S. cities.
New nonstops to India from two U.S. cities
United has served India with nonstop service for 15 years and now builds on its existing service to New Delhi and Mumbai with two new routes. Beginning December 2020, United will introduce new nonstop service between Chicago and New Delhi and, for the first time ever, United customers will be able to travel nonstop between San Francisco and Bangalore starting spring 2021. Chicago has the second highest population of Indian-Americans in the United States, and customers from more than 130 U.S. cities can connect on United through O'Hare International Airport. Service from San Francisco to Bangalore connects two international technology hubs, broadening United's west coast service to India, which also includes San Francisco to New Delhi.
New nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv
Beginning, Thursday, Sept. 10, United will start brand-new three-times-weekly nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv. In addition to Chicago, United currently operates nonstop service between Tel Aviv and its hubs in Newark/New York and San Francisco and will resume service between Washington and Tel Aviv in October. The airline operates more nonstop service between the United States and Israel than any U.S. airline.
United expanding Hawaii service to the Midwest and East Coast
As customers look to resume leisure travel options, United will make it easier than ever to travel nonstop to Maui and Kona for the 2021 summer season. With the addition of new flights between both Newark/New York and Maui and Chicago and Kona, United will provide customers in the Midwest and U.S. East Coast with even faster and more convenient service to the Hawaiian Islands than any other airline.
United to operate first-ever nonstop service between the United States and Bangalore, India and new service between Chicago and New Delhi, India
Announces new nonstop service between U.S. East Coast and Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; and Johannesburg, South Africa
First-ever nonstop service between Chicago and Kona and between Newark/New York and Maui
CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced plans to expand its global route network with new nonstop service to Africa, India and Hawaii. With these new routes, United will offer more nonstop service to India and South Africa than any other U.S. carrier and remains the largest carrier between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.
Starting this December, United will fly daily between Chicago and New Delhi and, starting in spring 2021, United will become the only airline to operate between San Francisco and Bangalore, India and between Newark/New York and Johannesburg. United will also introduce new service between Washington, D.C., and Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria in late spring of 2021. In the summer of 2021, United will fly nonstops four times weekly between Chicago and Kona and between Newark/New York and Maui. And starting this week, United, the airline offering more nonstop service to Israel than any other U.S. carrier, begins new nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv, the only carrier to offer this service.
United's newly announced international routes are subject to government approval and tickets will be available for purchase on united.com and the United app in the coming weeks.
"Now is the right time to take a bold step in evolving our global network to help our customers reconnect with friends, family and colleagues around the world," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network and Alliances. "These new nonstop routes provide shorter travel times and convenient one-stop connections from across the United States, demonstrating United's continued innovative and forward-looking approach to rebuilding our network to meet the travel needs of our customers."
Offering nonstop service to three new destinations in Africa
United will become the only U.S. carrier serving Accra nonstop from Washington, D.C. and the only airline to serve Lagos nonstop from Washington, D.C., with three weekly flights to each destination beginning in late spring 2021. The Washington metropolitan area has the second-largest population of Ghanaians in the United States, and Lagos is the largest Western African destination from the United States. Now, with 65 different U.S. cities connecting through Washington Dulles, United will offer convenient one-stop connections to Western Africa.
United already provides seasonal, three-times-weekly service between Newark/New York and Cape Town. By adding new daily nonstop flights between Newark/New York and Johannesburg in spring 2021, the airline will operate more flights to South Africa than any other U.S. carrier, and will offer the only roundtrip, nonstop service from the United States to Johannesburg by a U.S carrier. These routes also offer easy connections for customers traveling to South Africa from more than 50 U.S. cities.
New nonstops to India from two U.S. cities
United has served India with nonstop service for 15 years and now builds on its existing service to New Delhi and Mumbai with two new routes. Beginning December 2020, United will introduce new nonstop service between Chicago and New Delhi and, for the first time ever, United customers will be able to travel nonstop between San Francisco and Bangalore starting spring 2021. Chicago has the second highest population of Indian-Americans in the United States, and customers from more than 130 U.S. cities can connect on United through O'Hare International Airport. Service from San Francisco to Bangalore connects two international technology hubs, broadening United's west coast service to India, which also includes San Francisco to New Delhi.
New nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv
Beginning, Thursday, Sept. 10, United will start brand-new three-times-weekly nonstop service between Chicago and Tel Aviv. In addition to Chicago, United currently operates nonstop service between Tel Aviv and its hubs in Newark/New York and San Francisco and will resume service between Washington and Tel Aviv in October. The airline operates more nonstop service between the United States and Israel than any U.S. airline.
United expanding Hawaii service to the Midwest and East Coast
As customers look to resume leisure travel options, United will make it easier than ever to travel nonstop to Maui and Kona for the 2021 summer season. With the addition of new flights between both Newark/New York and Maui and Chicago and Kona, United will provide customers in the Midwest and U.S. East Coast with even faster and more convenient service to the Hawaiian Islands than any other airline.
New UA Routes SEP 2020 • EWR ↔ OGG/JNB • ORD ↔ KOA/DEL/TLV • IAD ↔ LOS/ACC • SFO↔BLR
Sep 8, 2020, 5:02 pm
#31
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
A direct flight to the Maldives, Seychelles, or Bali (eg, EWR-MLE or SFO-DPS) would be nice! Given how SFO-PPT has performed, I think these would be quite popular.
Sep 8, 2020, 5:39 pm
#33
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,937
My favorite parts of the video were all the passports (INTL routes!) and a quick but pronounced view of the Tulip!
VIE would be great, that was one dot on our scrubbed July vacation plan.
Edit: loved the sound effect in the last 2 seconds. How I miss even that sigh....
VIE would be great, that was one dot on our scrubbed July vacation plan.
Edit: loved the sound effect in the last 2 seconds. How I miss even that sigh....
The guy winking at the end was creepy
Sep 8, 2020, 5:59 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,141
I would guess a number of these routes won't be slated to start for months, and in some cases until mid-2021.
Africa seems to figure in the video. As mentioned, I could see Dakar DSS getting service, and given the Delta flight to JFK, I would think UA would go via IAD, which may also be better for connections. That's doable on a 763.
SAA is also not doing well and is subleasing A350s for their New York service. Would UA perhaps look to capitalize and go into JNB? South Africa is underserved from the United States, with the majority of the traffic going via Europe or the Middle East. There's a decent cargo market into South African as well. I'm not sure if air rights are available, but if UA/SAA have agreed on a JV on that route, I would think the RSA Government would resolve any rights issues. SAA could then continue to operate IAD-ACC-JNB, linking into the UA network. Just a thought.
Africa seems to figure in the video. As mentioned, I could see Dakar DSS getting service, and given the Delta flight to JFK, I would think UA would go via IAD, which may also be better for connections. That's doable on a 763.
SAA is also not doing well and is subleasing A350s for their New York service. Would UA perhaps look to capitalize and go into JNB? South Africa is underserved from the United States, with the majority of the traffic going via Europe or the Middle East. There's a decent cargo market into South African as well. I'm not sure if air rights are available, but if UA/SAA have agreed on a JV on that route, I would think the RSA Government would resolve any rights issues. SAA could then continue to operate IAD-ACC-JNB, linking into the UA network. Just a thought.
Sep 8, 2020, 6:03 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,989
Does definitely seem like EWR-OGG is on the table...would love that. No idea on international routes - certainly would think the 'GMT' means we are getting a route to that time zone. Maybe SFO-DUB? UA already flies from every hub to LHR (pre-pandemic), and I can't imagine UA would add additional service to Portugal (the only other European country in GMT that makes some sense) beyond their previous EWR-LIS/OPO service.
I do wonder - if they restart SFO-BKK, does that absolve Scott Kirby of all of his perceived shortcomings in the eyes of FTers??
I do wonder - if they restart SFO-BKK, does that absolve Scott Kirby of all of his perceived shortcomings in the eyes of FTers??
Sep 8, 2020, 6:08 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,443
Here are stills of everything that seems to contain any potential clue, along with my guesses. Anyone able to pick up on anything additional?
1
?
2
Africa route?
3
?
4
?
5
SA route?
6
long haul route?
7
EWR origin
8
Tulip!
9
?
10
ORD and IAD international routes?
11
International routes
12
?
13
?
14
ORD routes
15
?
16
?
17
?
18
EWR-HI some island
19
ORD route
20
?
21
ORD 763?
22
EWR route
23
?
24
?
25
Polaris route
26
Arctic route
27
IAD route
28
?
29
?
30
?
31
?
32
International
1
Originally Posted by UA teaser
2
Originally Posted by UA teaser
3
Originally Posted by UA teaser
4
Originally Posted by UA teaser
5
Originally Posted by UA teaser
6
Originally Posted by UA teaser
7
Originally Posted by UA teaser
8
Originally Posted by UA teaser
9
Originally Posted by UA teaser
10
Originally Posted by UA teaser
11
Originally Posted by UA teaser
12
Originally Posted by UA teaser
13
Originally Posted by UA teaser
14
Originally Posted by UA teaser
15
Originally Posted by UA teaser
16
Originally Posted by UA teaser
17
Originally Posted by UA teaser
18
Originally Posted by UA teaser
19
Originally Posted by UA teaser
20
Originally Posted by UA teaser
21
Originally Posted by UA teaser
22
Originally Posted by UA teaser
23
Originally Posted by UA teaser
24
Originally Posted by UA teaser
25
Originally Posted by UA teaser
26
Originally Posted by UA teaser
27
Originally Posted by UA teaser
28
Originally Posted by UA teaser
29
Originally Posted by UA teaser
30
Originally Posted by UA teaser
31
Originally Posted by UA teaser
32
Originally Posted by UA teaser
Sep 8, 2020, 6:11 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 18
Here are stills of everything that seems to contain any potential clue, along with my guesses. Anyone able to pick up on anything additional?
1
?
2
Africa route?
3
?
4
?
5
SA route?
6
long haul route?
7
EWR origin
8
Tulip!
9
?
10
ORD and IAD international routes?
11
International routes
12
?
13
?
14
ORD routes
15
?
16
?
17
?
18
EWR-HI some island
19
ORD route
20
?
21
ORD 763?
22
EWR route
23
?
24
?
25
Polaris route
26
Arctic route
27
IAD route
28
?
29
?
30
?
31
?
32
International
1
?
2
Africa route?
3
?
4
?
5
SA route?
6
long haul route?
7
EWR origin
8
Tulip!
9
?
10
ORD and IAD international routes?
11
International routes
12
?
13
?
14
ORD routes
15
?
16
?
17
?
18
EWR-HI some island
19
ORD route
20
?
21
ORD 763?
22
EWR route
23
?
24
?
25
Polaris route
26
Arctic route
27
IAD route
28
?
29
?
30
?
31
?
32
International
IAH route?
Sep 8, 2020, 6:29 pm
#38
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: US West Coast
Programs: Alaska 100K, Hyatt Gl, Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 353
To me, this long diagonal line looks an awful lot like a line from the aerial picture of EWR in the lower-left (associated in the up-close with the paper where the pin actually is), to ANC on the map. If you follow that string onward directly right off my clipping, it connects to the IAH clip that Steven John Sladic posted. So maybe either/both of those hubs to Alaska?
Sep 8, 2020, 6:39 pm
#39
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,141
Upon further examination of the clues, I'm thinking EWR-OGG on a 789 is coming. There are some additional hints in the Instagram stories following the string. As someone who flies from the east coast to OGG 2-3x per year, this would be awesome. Props to United for a cool marketing idea.
I'd also put money on IAD-VIE, given the map shot (Image 27) of Dulles airport with Vienna, VA in focus. Image 1 also looks like it could be an aerial shot of Vienna, AT.
Clearly something in Africa: Image 16 makes that obvious.
Sep 8, 2020, 6:45 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,984
Sep 8, 2020, 6:49 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Sep 8, 2020, 6:51 pm
#42
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
Here are stills of everything that seems to contain any potential clue, along with my guesses. Anyone able to pick up on anything additional?
1
?
2
Africa route?
3
?
4
?
5
SA route?
6
long haul route?
7
EWR origin
8
Tulip!
9
?
10
ORD and IAD international routes?
11
International routes
12
?
13
?
14
ORD routes
15
?
16
?
17
?
18
EWR-HI some island
19
ORD route
20
?
21
ORD 763?
22
EWR route
23
?
24
?
25
Polaris route
26
Arctic route
27
IAD route
28
?
29
?
30
?
31
?
32
International
1
?
2
Africa route?
3
?
4
?
5
SA route?
6
long haul route?
7
EWR origin
8
Tulip!
9
?
10
ORD and IAD international routes?
11
International routes
12
?
13
?
14
ORD routes
15
?
16
?
17
?
18
EWR-HI some island
19
ORD route
20
?
21
ORD 763?
22
EWR route
23
?
24
?
25
Polaris route
26
Arctic route
27
IAD route
28
?
29
?
30
?
31
?
32
International
2 is jet stream analysis (vector winds) since it's for the southern jet it is farther south than itcz so presume a deep southern Africa or American route.
17 is dispatch weights. There was a key somewhere in one of the other photos. If someone knows the sfc then you could figure out some routes.
Last edited by prestonh; Sep 8, 2020 at 7:53 pm
Sep 8, 2020, 6:51 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,989
And I would be one of those flyers - would love not having to go through HNL or connecting further west to fly into OGG. I suppose with so much international flying suspended, they have to figure out where to deploy all these widebodies now...
Sep 8, 2020, 6:52 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,141
The black passport stamp on image 28 (bottom left) says 'South Africa'.
Image 22 shows EWR with a 234. 234 is the country code for Nigeria: Abuja or Lagos? (Delta already flies to the latter from both JFK and ATL).
Image 22 shows EWR with a 234. 234 is the country code for Nigeria: Abuja or Lagos? (Delta already flies to the latter from both JFK and ATL).
Sep 8, 2020, 6:57 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: US West Coast
Programs: Alaska 100K, Hyatt Gl, Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 353
Edit: Looks like makin'miles beat me to it!
Last edited by CalanMan; Sep 8, 2020 at 7:00 pm Reason: Looks like makin-miles beat me to it!
