United Airlines has revealed plans to add eight new international routes next summer, including the first-ever U.S. airline service to Greenland and Mongolia. These additions will broaden the airline’s global network, focusing on unique and adventurous destinations, according to Patrick Quayle, United's senior vice president of global network planning.
The new destinations include Nuuk, Greenland; Ulaanbataar, Mongolia; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faro and the island of Madeira in Portugal; Bilbao, Spain; Palermo, Sicily; and Dakar, Senegal. Of these, only Dakar is currently served by a U.S. carrier, and Palermo has limited service from a foreign airline.
Five of the routes — Nuuk, Palermo, Bilbao, Faro, and Madeira — will operate from Newark Liberty International Airport, while Dakar flights will depart from Washington Dulles. Tokyo will serve as the connecting hub for Ulaanbataar and Kaohsiung, part of United’s strategy to increase its Asian services out of Tokyo.
The majority of the routes will be seasonal, except for year-round service between Washington Dulles and Dakar, and Tokyo to Kaohsiung. United’s new route to Nuuk, launching after Greenland completes its airport expansion in late November, will mark the first U.S. flights to the Arctic nation, using a Boeing 737 Max 8.
Quayle highlighted that United aims to provide "lifestyle in the moment experiences" with these new, off-the-beaten-path destinations, citing growing demand for places like Mongolia and southern Taiwan, which have seen reduced flight connections since the pandemic.
Four of the new European destinations are leisure-focused, with Madeira, located near Spain’s Canary Islands, being one of the more remote additions. The new routes continue United’s push to expand into lesser-known leisure spots, building on recent additions like the Azores, Croatia, and Tenerife.
Each of these new routes is set to launch between May and July 2024, further positioning United as a leader in offering distinctive travel experiences worldwide.
