Azul Brazilian Airlines (Azul) and United Airlines announced that their codeshare partnership will expand to additional cities in the United States. Passengers flying through Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Orlando (MCO) can now access six destinations through the updated agreement.
The following six airports will be served by the partnership, with five of them being hubs for United Airlines:
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Beginning May 10, passengers flying on Azul and United flights will have a single ticket that includes both flights. Other benefits include one-stop check-in and baggage transfers.
The partnership expands on the existing codeshare routes that United and Azul operate through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Azul's Director of Network and Strategic Planning, Revenue Management, and Alliances André Mercadante said, "The expansion of our agreement with United Airlines furthers Azul's mission to offer our customers the best experience and a wide variety of destinations to explore. We are accelerating our international presence and now our customers will be able to leave our hubs and reach even more great cities with a single ticket."
Azul operates over 900 daily flights and has the largest airline network in Brazil based on the number of cities served. The airline has won several domestic and international awards, such as the most punctual Global and Latin America airline in the Mainline and Network categories.
Azul currently offers direct service from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando to the following airports in Brazil:
- Belém/Val-de-Cans International Airport (BEL) in Belém
- Belo Horizonte/Confins - Tancredo Neves International Airport (CNF) in Belo Horizonte
- Viracopos International Airport (VCP) in Campinas
- Eduardo Gomes International Airport (MAO) in Manaus
- Recife/Guararapes - Gilberto Freyre International Airport (REC) in Recife
Azul's flights between the U.S. and Brazil are flown using the Airbus A330 family of aircraft, which have 110 seats in premium economy and 20 lie-flat seats in business class.
Azul differs from LATAM Brasil — one of the largest airlines in Brazil — because of its focus on flying from smaller airports. LATAM Brasil operates flights to the U.S. from its hub at São Paulo (GRU), which was Brazil's busiest airport in 2022.
The major American carriers (American, Delta, and United) currently only offer direct flights to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro from the U.S. The expanded codeshare agreement will offer more options for passengers that want to travel between America and smaller cities in Brazil.