United Airlines Announces 10 New International Routes

United Airlines plans to launch 13 new international routes – including 10 brand-new destinations – starting in 2027, marking the largest overseas expansion in the carrier's history.

The Chicago-based airline announced the additions Tuesday, August 25, at an event at Newark Liberty International Airport attended by CEO Scott Kirby, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella, and Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances Patrick Quayle. Unlike previous years' expansions, this round is concentrated entirely in Europe and Asia, and it debuts a new aircraft type that made much of the growth possible.

Where United is flying next

The 10 new destinations, all launching from spring 2027 onward, are:

• San Francisco – Okinawa, Japan
• Washington Dulles – Toulouse, France 
• Newark – Luxembourg 
• Newark – Marseille, France 
• Newark – Ibiza, Spain 
• Newark – Valencia, Spain 
• Newark – Terceira, Portugal
• Newark – Ljubljana, Slovenia 
• Newark – Olbia, Sardinia, Italy
• Newark – Catania, Sicily, Italy

Eight of the ten new destinations are not currently served nonstop by any other U.S. airline, according to United, including the carrier's first-ever nonstop flights to Slovenia and Luxembourg. Eight of the 13 total new routes depart from Newark, one of United's largest hubs.

Why United is expanding overseas

The expansion is being enabled in large part by delivery of a new aircraft: the Airbus A321XLR, a long-range, single-aisle jet United has branded Born to Explore. The plane – essentially a modern replacement for the Boeing 757 – carries United Polaris business class, Economy, and Economy Plus cabins, along with a self-serve snack bar in the economy cabin. Because it can fly long transatlantic distances with lower operating costs than a widebody, the A321XLR opens up smaller European markets, like Ibiza, Valencia, Toulouse, Marseille, and Ljubljana, that wouldn't be profitable with a larger aircraft.

United is also taking delivery of new Boeing 787-9s in an ultra-premium configuration; while those aircraft won't fly the new routes directly, they're expected to free up other widebodies to support the expanded schedule.

CEO Scott Kirby told CBS Mornings the timing reflects aircraft availability catching up with United's ambitions:

We've been adding a lot of new cities each year in the past several years. It's more this year, partly because the aircraft manufacturers have caught up.

The expansion builds on nearly a decade of growth — United says it has added 58 international destinations to its route map since 2017, and now serves more than 160 international destinations in total, more than any other U.S. carrier.

What it means for travelers

The new routes launch from three United hubs: Newark, Washington Dulles, and San Francisco. That gives travelers new nonstop options to secondary European and Asian cities that currently require connecting through larger gateways like London, Paris, Frankfurt, or Madrid – potentially cutting total travel time for trips to destinations such as Sicily, Sardinia, and the Azores.

The expansion also positions United as the only U.S. carrier flying nonstop to most of the newly added cities, a competitive edge over rivals like Delta and American Airlines, which have limited or no presence on many of these routes. United says the additions mean it now offers the most flights and seats from the U.S. across both the Atlantic and Pacific of any airline.

Tickets for the new routes went on sale Tuesday on united.com and in the United app. Existing summer 2026 international destinations, including four added this year, are expected to return for summer 2027 as well.