United Airlines adds 11 routes amid 'record' network expansion

Ben Mutzabaugh
United's expansion adds one new city - Stockton, California - but the other routes represent new connections to cities the airline already serves.

United Airlines announced a slew of new routes Wednesday amid what the carrier says is a “record” expansion of its network.

The 11 new routes are a mix of seasonal and year-round routes that will start when United’s summer schedule begins June 6. (Scroll down for full details)

The expansion adds one new city – Stockton, California – to United’s route map, but the other routes represent new connections to cities the airline already serves. About half are weekend-only service.

United’s Chicago O’Hare hub is the biggest beneficiary of the expansion, landing seven mostly seasonal routes that include options to Colorado, Florida and Nova Scotia. Also coming to Chicago are two routes to Oregon, including a seasonal option to Redmond and a year-round route to Eugene.

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United also targeted its hub at Houston Bush Intercontinental for two new routes (Durango, Colorado, and Ontario, California) as well as one each for Los Angeles (Stockton) and Washington Dulles (Traverse City, Michigan). Those routes are seasonal, except for the Ontario-Houston service.

With the additions, United says it has announced 93 new routes in 2018, “adding more flights than any U.S. airline,” according to the company. Of those 93, 15 have been international routes, including high-profile additions to destinations in Tahiti, Australia, India, Israel and the Czech Republic, among others.

Most of the routes announced Wednesday focus on summer beach and mountain locales, but United touted its year-long expansion push.

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“We are focused on giving our customers more reasons to choose to fly United Airlines,” Ankit Gupta, United’s vice president of Domestic Network Planning and Scheduling, says in a statement. “With nearly 100 new routes announced this year, we continue to deliver on our commitment to build a global network with destinations where our customers want to fly.”

Scroll down for the full details on the 11 routes United revealed on Wednesday.

Chicago O’Hare

Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Florida: Weekend-only service begins June 8; one round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday on Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

Durango, Colorado: Weekend-only service begins June 8; one round-trip flight each Saturday on Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

Eugene, Oregon: Daily service begins June 6; one round-trip flight each day on Embraer E175 jets. Year-round. The Chicago-bound flight is a red-eye, departing Eugene at 11:40 p.m. and arriving in Chicago at 5:15 a.m. (all times local). Year-round.

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Grand Junction, Colorado: Weekend-only service begins June 8; one round-trip flight each Saturday on Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

Halifax, Nova Scotia: Daily service begins June 6; one round-trip flight each day on Embraer E175 jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

Panama City, Florida: Weekend-only service begins June 8; one round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday on Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

Redmond, Oregon: Daily service begins June 6; one round-trip flight each day on Embraer E175 jets. The Chicago-bound flight is a red-eye, departing Eugene at 11:45 p.m. and arriving Chicago at 5:15 a.m. (all times local). Seasonal for summer schedule.

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Houston Bush Intercontinental

Durango, Colorado: Weekend-only service begins June 8; one round-trip flight each Saturday on Embraer E175 jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

Ontario, California: Daily service begins June 6; one round-trip flight each day on Embraer E175 jets. The Houston-bound flight is a red-eye, departing Ontario at 11:40 p.m. and arriving to Houston at 5:10 a.m. (all times local). Year-round.

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Los Angeles

Stockton, California: Daily service begins June 6; two round-trip flights each day on Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets. Year-round.

Washington Dulles

Traverse City, Michigan: Weekend-only service begins June 8; one round-trip flight each Saturday on Embraer E145 regional jets. Seasonal for summer schedule.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: United Airlines adds 11 routes amid 'record' network expansion