United to Add Summer Services to Meet 'Soaring' Overseas Demand

United Airlines is increasing its international summer flying by 25 percent versus 2022 to meet what it called the sharp increase in demand for travel outside of the United States, the carrier announced Thursday. The carrier also is adding nearly 25 new nonstop routes this summer for a total of 114. 

Further, United said its data shows that international bookings in March 2023 were 15 percent higher than the same period in 2022.

New routes previously announced include daily service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Dubai, between San Francisco and Rome, between Washington, D.C., and Berlin, between Chicago O'Hare and Shannon, Ireland, between Chicago and Barcelona, and a second daily flight between Los Angeles and London Heathrow as well as between Washington Dulles and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

On May 27, the carrier will relaunch service between Newark and Stockholm, Sweden, for the first time since 2019. Starting May 31, United will launch direct flights between Newark and Malaga, its fifth destination in Spain. 

In addition, from May 25 to Oct. 27 it will offer a second seasonal frequency between Newark and Edinburgh, Scotland, and between Newark and Naples, Italy, from June 23 to Sept. 7.

For Asia-Pacific service, United's summer capacity will be 15 percent larger than that of 2019, according to the carrier. It recently resumed service between Denver and Tokyo Narita and between San Francisco and Hong Kong and added new service to Tokyo Haneda from each Washington Dulles and Los Angeles. The carrier also will have an expanded schedule between the United States and Australia with flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

United's expanded international service comes on the heels of some domestic flight cuts, particularly for the New York and Washington, D.C., regions.