The 2016 summer travel season officially kicked off on May 25th as United launches three new seasonal European flights from its East Coast hubs. Starting on May 25th, United will offer daily nonstop service between Washington Dulles and Barcelona and between Washington Dulles and Lisbon. Daily nonstop service between New York/Newark and Athens also begins today, making the route’s much-anticipated return to United’s summer schedule.
Offering more international service from New York/Newark and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area than any other U.S. carrier, United’s three new trans-Atlantic flights offer customers more choices when planning their summer European getaways.
“These routes are just the latest of the important and exciting routes we are adding around the world, including our new service between San Francisco and Singapore starting June 1,” said Marcel Fuchs, United’s vice president of Atlantic and Pacific Sales. “The addition of these new routes to our already impressive global route network gives our customers even more opportunities to plan their visits to some of Europe’s most beautiful coastal cities.”
Customers traveling in United BusinessFirst will enjoy a fine dining experience featuring menus designed by United’s team of chefs using regional ingredients. In addition, United’s flat-bed seating allows customers to arrive at their destination relaxed and refreshed. Customers in United Economy Plus seating will enjoy extra legroom for working and unwinding, and the entire United Economy cabin features a variety of dining options including complimentary multi-course meals designed in consultation with United’s team of chefs, and United’s Choice Menu items available for purchase.
This year, in addition to United’s new seasonal routes, the airline is welcoming several new international business and leisure destinations to its global route network.
- May 25th, United announced it is increasing frequency between San Francisco and Tel Aviv to daily beginning this October. United started service to Tel Aviv in March and is the first U.S. airline to serve Israel from the West Coast.
- Earlier this month, United Airlines became the first airline to offer trans-Pacific service between San Francisco and Xi’an, China. United is also the first U.S. airline to serve Xi’an.
- Beginning June 1, United will start the world’s longest scheduled 787 flight between San Francisco and Singapore. This will be the only nonstop service to the U.S. from Singapore.
- On July 1, United will start three-times weekly service to Auckland, New Zealand and will expand to daily service in time for the peak-winter travel season.
- Marking another first in the industry, beginning July 13, United will launch first-ever nonstop service by a U.S. airline between Hangzhou, China and San Francisco.
United’s daily nonstop service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Athens (ATH) will operate using Boeing 767-300 aircraft. Flight times will be 9 hours 50 minutes eastbound and 11 hours westbound.
The nonstop flights between Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Barcelona (BCN) will operate daily with Boeing 767-400 aircraft. Flight times for the Barcelona service will be 8 hours 10 minutes eastbound and 9 hours 15 minutes westbound. United also serves Madrid from New York/Newark.
United will use Boeing 757-200 aircraft for flights between Washington Dulles and Lisbon (LIS). Flight times will be 7 hours 25 minutes eastbound and 8 hours 20 minutes westbound. These flights are in addition to United’s existing year-round service to Lisbon from New York/Newark. In 2016, United will mark 19 years of Lisbon service.