CHICAGO- United Airlines (UA) has announced its largest international network expansion in company history, adding 10 new cities across Europe and Asia from its U.S. hubs. The airline will also introduce new international routes and expand its Airbus A321XLR operations.
United Airlines (UA) will launch services from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), with new destinations including Okinawa, Luxembourg City, Toulouse, Marseille, Ibiza, Valencia, Terceira, Ljubljana, Olbia and Catania.
United Airlines Expands International Network
United Airlines will begin adding the new international destinations as early as March 2027. Eight of the 10 cities will have no nonstop service from another U.S. airline, according to the carrier.
The expansion builds on United’s international growth since 2017. The airline has added 58 international destinations to its route network during that period and now serves more than 160 international destinations.
The new services will strengthen United’s presence across Europe and Asia while adding more leisure and business travel options from its major U.S. hubs.
New United International Routes for 2027
| Route | Start Date | Frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco (SFO) to Okinawa (OKA) | March 27 | 3x weekly | Boeing 777-200ER |
| Newark (EWR) to Luxembourg (LUX) | April 2 | Daily | Airbus A321XLR |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) to Toulouse (TLS) | April 26 | Daily | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark (EWR) to Ljubljana (LJU) | May 12 | 4x weekly | Boeing 767-400ER |
| Newark (EWR) to Olbia (OLB) | May 27 | 3x weekly | Boeing 767-300ER |
| Newark (EWR) to Catania (CTA) | May 28 | 4x weekly | Boeing 767-300ER |
| Newark (EWR) to Ibiza (IBZ) | May 31 | 4x weekly | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark (EWR) to Valencia (VLC) | June 2 | 3x weekly | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark (EWR) to Marseille (MRS) | June 4 | Daily | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark (EWR) to Terceira (TER) | June 9 | 3x weekly | Boeing 737 MAX 8 |
United states that it will be the only U.S. airline offering nonstop service from the United States to Okinawa, Luxembourg City, Toulouse, Ljubljana, Ibiza, Valencia, Marseille and Terceira.
The new routes will give travelers additional access to destinations in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Japan.
New Services From Los Angeles, Washington and Denver
Beyond the 10 new international destinations, United will expand service to existing international markets.
From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), United will launch daily service to Osaka, Japan, beginning March 27. The route will make United the only airline serving Osaka from two continental U.S. cities, complementing existing service from San Francisco and Guam.
From Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), United will introduce three-times-weekly nonstop service to Milan, Italy, beginning May 28. The airline says it will be the only carrier offering a nonstop connection between Washington, D.C., and Milan.
United will also add daily nonstop service between Denver International Airport (DEN) and Paris, France, starting May 27. The route will complement existing Paris service from Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago and San Francisco.
The airline will restart San Francisco to Tel Aviv service on March 28 with three flights per week. United says the service will provide more business-class seats between the two cities than any other airline.
United also plans to return several destinations introduced during summer 2026 for summer 2027. These include Split in Croatia, Bari in Italy, Glasgow in Scotland and Santiago de Compostela in Spain from Newark/New York.
Airbus A321XLR Takes Key Role in Expansion
United is using its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft to support several of the new European routes. The aircraft will operate services from Newark to Luxembourg, Ibiza, Valencia and Marseille, as well as Washington Dulles to Toulouse.
The A321XLR is a single-aisle aircraft designed for longer-range operations. United’s version will feature a new United Polaris suite with a privacy door, free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members, 4K OLED seatback screens with Bluetooth connectivity, and an onboard snack bar in United Economy.
United will also introduce new Economy Plus seating with additional elbow room and access to a shared table across an open middle seat. The airline expects to be the only major U.S. carrier offering this seating configuration.
The aircraft will have 32 premium seats, comprising 20 United Polaris suites and 12 United Premium Plus seats. That represents 16 more premium seats than the Boeing 757-200.
The A321XLR is scheduled to enter domestic service on selected routes in September 2026 before beginning international operations on December 1. Its first international services will operate from Washington Dulles to Amsterdam and Dublin.
Tickets for those first international A321XLR flights are scheduled to go on sale August 27.
United Strengthens European and Asian Network
The expansion gives United a broader presence in several major European leisure markets while adding a new Japanese destination to its network.
The airline will serve more destinations in Japan, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France than any other U.S. carrier, according to United. The new routes also expand its access to Mediterranean destinations and smaller European markets that have limited nonstop connectivity with the United States.
United CEO Scott Kirby said the airline’s international expansion has helped differentiate its network and strengthen Newark as an Atlantic gateway.
United Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances Patrick Quayle said the expanded network is intended to provide travelers with more options for business, leisure and visiting friends and family.
All announced routes remain subject to government approval.
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