United Airlines announces largest international expansion in company's history

United Airlines announced on Tuesday that it will be expanding its international flight network by adding 10 new routes starting in 2027, the airline's largest route expansion in its history. CEO Scott Kirby revealed the news during an interview on CBS Mornings with Gayle King. Kirby explained that the airline has been consistently adding new destinations annually over the past few years, but this year's expansion is particularly significant due to advancements in aircraft manufacturing. The new flights will complement United's existing network of 160 international destinations.

The newly added international routes include connections from San Francisco (SFO) to Okinawa, Japan; Washington Dulles (IAD) to Toulouse, France; Newark (EWR) to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Newark (EWR) to Marseille, France; Newark (EWR) to Ibiza, Spain; Newark (EWR) to Valencia, Spain; Newark (EWR) to Terceira, Portugal; Newark (EWR) to Ljubljana, Slovenia; Newark (EWR) to Olbia (Sardinia), Italy; and Newark (EWR) to Catania (Sicily), Italy.

Eight of these new routes will originate from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, which Kirby stated has now become the most reliable New York airport after finally receiving necessary improvements.

Kirby attributed the expansion to Newark's improved reliability, highlighting the airport's crucial role in facilitating the new international connections. He mentioned that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally allocated sufficient slots for Newark, enabling the airline to introduce these eight new destinations across the Atlantic.

Kirby has previously advocated for changes at Newark to address flight congestion, including the addition of more takeoff and landing slots. He also addressed the issue of rising airfares during a CBS Mornings interview, noting that while air travel remains a good value, fares have increased by more than 25% in July compared to the previous year, following a significant drop during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kirby emphasized that the current airfares, though elevated, are still considerably lower than they were before the pandemic, as they are now bouncing back to more normal levels.