United Airlines Celebrates 30 Years of Nonstop Flights to Colombia

United Airlines celebrated its 30th anniversary of flying to Colombia this month. The carrier's first flight in February 1994 represented an important milestone for the airline as it expanded its operations into the South American country for the first time. Three decades later, the airline boasts over 170 flights between the two countries each month. United's leadership was proud of the achievement, thanking their employees, partners, and customers for their years of service.

United and other airlines are expanding to offer additional flights to Colombia this year. The U.S. airports with United flights to the country include Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Tourism statistics indicate that more than 4.5 million tourists visited Colombia in 2022, with almost one million being Americans. This represents a vast change from the roughly 800,000 tourists the country had in 1995. Colombia's flag carrier Avianca is also expanding its U.S. presence by offering new flights and connecting with American sports fans by sponsoring the NFL's Miami Dolphins. 

In addition to the Colombian routes, United has been expanding its Latin American footprint to several new airports. United will operate 13 continuous South American routes this year. The airline also added additional nonstop flights from EWR, IAH, Chicago-O'Hare (ORD), and Los Angeles (LAX) to Tulum (TQO) upon the airport's opening in November 2023. Other Latin American countries with nonstop flights from the U.S. on United include Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

Among these recent trends to enter additional international markets, United Airlines continues to expand and is now the U.S. carrier with the most international flights. Its largest domestic rival, American Airlines, continues to focus on gaining additional domestic routes. Meanwhile, United has shifted its aim to travel abroad. The airline also has a U.S. carrier's longest nonstop passenger route, with its flight from IAH to Sydney International Airport (SYD) clocking in north of 8,500 nautical miles (15,742 kilometers).