United Airlines To Make “Historic” Route Announcement Tomorrow

United Airlines To Make “Historic” Route Announcement Tomorrow

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As noted on airliners.net, United has issued a media advisory that Oscar Munoz will make a “historic route announcement” tomorrow at 11AM CT:

United Airlines CEO to Make Historic Route Announcement Tomorrow

United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz will host a media conference call tomorrow to discuss an historic package of new and expanded international routes and talk about how they are a capstone to a breakthrough year for United.

That sure sounds exciting. It sounds like it might not just be a single route, but rather a few routes, based on how it’s phrased (or it could be that there’s one main addition, and then some other minor adjustments).

While I have no clue, my general thought is that United is more willing to try ultra longhaul flights than other US carriers (they fly Houston to Sydney and also San Francisco to Singapore, which are the two longest routes operated by US airlines). They also don’t currently fly to Africa, which seems like it would be “historic.”

Does anyone want to take a guess? Feel free to place your bets below!

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  1. Dave - Canada Member

    I suspect this "historic" news will be a letdown, much like "enhancements".

    What I would consider historic but so unlikely that it's impossible are:
    1. Return to JFK with flights to SFO, LAX, LHR.
    2. Return of something similar to Pan Am's round the world service. UA could start same plane service SYD-SFO-IAD-LHR-SIN-SYD. Or AKL-SFO-LHR-SIN-AKL. Or ORD-LHR-BOM-ORD.

  2. Erik Guest

    I guess I have a different definition of "historic" than Oscar's.

    Dec 12 (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc said on Wednesday it would add flights to New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne from San Francisco, as the No. 3 U.S. airline looks to tap higher-paying international routes.

    The airline also plans to start a second daily flight between San Francisco and Seoul as well as new year-round nonstop flights between the U.S. city and Auckland,...

    I guess I have a different definition of "historic" than Oscar's.

    Dec 12 (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc said on Wednesday it would add flights to New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne from San Francisco, as the No. 3 U.S. airline looks to tap higher-paying international routes.

    The airline also plans to start a second daily flight between San Francisco and Seoul as well as new year-round nonstop flights between the U.S. city and Auckland, Tahiti and Amsterdam in 2019.

  3. Arthur Lo Guest

    HKG to LHR, re-establish the historical RTW flight ;)

  4. Richard LT Guest

    CPT... there is an Air Access department in the Western Cape Government that has been pushing hard for a direct US route

  5. Joel Guest

    Is this a live conference that can be viewed?

  6. W James Guest

    Historic? Oh then it has to be nonstop 787 service FAT-FUK

  7. Ryan Guest

    I'm with @Mfb123 - to be truly "historic" it would, IMHO, be actually unique and not just interesting or very useful. However, given the penchant for corporate marketing types to fall into wild hyperbole, I'm guessing their definition of "historic" will fall short of mine!

    UA has flown to Africa previously (ACC and LOS at least most recently) though I don't think they went to JNB.

  8. George Santulli Guest

    I would love IAD-SIN, IAD-HNL, IAD-Santiago Chile!

  9. James Guest

    Maybe its an aquisition.. Flybe perhaps?.. ;))

    EWR SOU & ORD NWI have been a long time coming... everyone knows that.

  10. Sam Guest

    Surely JNB or ADD with both being *Alliance hubs thus offering connections on the other end. BKK tends to be a low yielding leisure destination and can be easily reached via Singapore or Hongkong with partner Thai Airways so i doubt UA will throw its hat there.

  11. Idan Youval Guest

    It's most likely a fancy way to say that they announce the premium economy plus class.

  12. jeff Guest

    HKG-HNL
    HNL-LHR
    or Hong Kong as a new hub in asia to strengthen their network by adding routes to HNL, IAH, IAD, DEN and maybe reinstating their fifth freedom HKG-SIN route

  13. Markus New Member

    Gotta be BKK and JNB. Ton of demand and no direct flights. Thai doesn't look close to getting back in again so a JV with UA would make sense

  14. Steven Member

    I’m thinking it may well be ORD SYD to beat QF to it, they were pitching that route not long ago - I’m not sure if EWR SYD is capable BUT.....

  15. Scott Guest

    Manila has been rumored for a while now, and given the fact UA just moved to a new terminal there... one is left to wonder. But Africa would be historic. We shall find out soon. But the amount of flight attendants they have moved and added to SFO, BOS, and ORD has me only looking there.

  16. IAC Guest

    EWR-GUM would be cool.

  17. Brian Diamond

    Widebody service from ORD to Louisville, to ensure there are seats for everyone, so no one needs to be dragged off?

  18. A Guest

    While I doubt it will be case I hope for more flights out of BRU like BRU-SFO or BRU-IAH

  19. WR2 Guest

    Anybody who thinks SFO-SGN over SFO-BKK is crazy. BKK is a *A hub, and is one of the largest airports in the world. SGN is a flyspeck. There are zero direct flights from USA to BKK. SFO has more of a United presence than LAX, so I doubt they would choose LAX over SFO. There is already EWR-SIN, and SFO-BKK is much more technically feasible than EWR-SIN. The only other logical possiblity to SE Asia...

    Anybody who thinks SFO-SGN over SFO-BKK is crazy. BKK is a *A hub, and is one of the largest airports in the world. SGN is a flyspeck. There are zero direct flights from USA to BKK. SFO has more of a United presence than LAX, so I doubt they would choose LAX over SFO. There is already EWR-SIN, and SFO-BKK is much more technically feasible than EWR-SIN. The only other logical possiblity to SE Asia is ORD-BKK or maybe EWR-BKK, but both of those would probably require crazy configurations like the Singapore Airlines EWR-SIN with only premium economy and biz. I guess they could be announcing something either uninspiring or off the radar, but if I were a betting man, and I am, I'd go with SFO-BKK.

    Personally though I'd still rather fly Cathay JAL or ANA with a layover than United, but I'm still happy if they add capacity.

  20. J Ramirez Guest

    UA1 & UA2 bypassing HKG?

  21. Erik Guest

    SFO-BKK
    SFO-BNE
    ORD-TLV
    ORD-ICN
    EWR-JNB
    ORD-SYD
    ORD-MAD
    ORD-HKG
    Who knows...

  22. noa New Member

    TEL AVIV✈

    maybe vegas tlv to take down elal

  23. UAflyer Guest

    I would love SFO-BOM/DEL, EWR-JNB, and SFO-GRU year round, and EWR-CPT and SFO-GIG seasonal.

    It is quite difficult to get to Africa or South America from the west coast on United!

  24. majik Guest

    Spaceflight ala Virgin Galactic.

  25. Aniljak Guest

    Read the wording of the media statement! Its a "Historic Package of new and expanded international routes". It's not a historic route, its the package that's going to be historic!
    Oviously they are going to announce a lot of new routes and increased services.

    Highly likely will be increased services to Australia and New Zealand, probably LAX or SFO to Brisbane. Slots at Sydney are hard to get so may look at other Australian...

    Read the wording of the media statement! Its a "Historic Package of new and expanded international routes". It's not a historic route, its the package that's going to be historic!
    Oviously they are going to announce a lot of new routes and increased services.

    Highly likely will be increased services to Australia and New Zealand, probably LAX or SFO to Brisbane. Slots at Sydney are hard to get so may look at other Australian cities.

    Maybe ORD to AKL.
    787 can't do ORD to East Coast Australia at moment.

    Rumors around in Australia that they may start Sydney to Seattle service.

  26. Eric Member

    Something historic would be a flight from th US to Vietnam, but they did that with SFO to SGN with a stopover in HKG and that proved to be unsuccessful due to competition with cheaper fares from other Asian airlines.

    I think a more profitable route would be from LAX to SGN.

  27. Alex Mas Guest

    New "standing only" class on domestic roues ?

  28. 02nz Guest

    IAD to FNJ, DME, and RUH. Capital to capital service for Trump’s favorite autocrats!

  29. Scott Guest

    SFO - JNB/CPT - is that even possible?

  30. UA Guest

    ORD-SYD isn't going to happen.

    The QF 787 that does PER-LHR is less densely configured than any of UA's current 787s - they simply don't have the range.

  31. Johan Guest

    Would be great IAH-MAD or SFO-MAD

  32. m New Member

    If it's SFO/LAX-JNB, I will personally hug Oscar Munoz. Just sayin'

  33. Marina Guest

    I would say Africa.. That's the only continent United doesn't fly to really

  34. Max New Member

    In order of most likely:
    1) EWR-JNB
    2)SFO-DEL/BLR
    3)SFO-SGN
    4)SFO/LAX-BKK/GUM
    5)EWR-IST6)HNL/GUM-LHR/FRA

  35. Ric Guest

    1) Thai doesn't serve SFO so SFO-BKK would be wise.
    2) Air Italy (aka Meridiana on behalf of Qatar) recently announced MXP - SFO & MXP - LAX, so perhaps SFO-FCO or MXP.
    3) Returning the Round The World UA1/2 routes
    4) SFO-GUM
    5) LAX-FRA
    6) SAA is a failing airline so maybe JNB
    7) Expanded INTL service from LAX with upcoming TBIT Phase 2 opening next year.
    8) Return to IST with opening of new airport ?
    9) FNJ - SFO !

  36. Dar Guest

    SFO-BLR, EWR-BLR, EWR-MAA, JFK-JNB

  37. Maja Berge Guest

    I don't know but I am about done with United after being a 1K for 15 years. My Global Upgrades are worthless. I wrote to Mr. Munoz when I donated miles for charity in honor of him on 11/27/18 and didn't even get an automated response. Alaska Airlines has treated me MUCH better in the last few years. If this is an inappropriate post, please delete it and/or don't allow it to be posted. Ben, I will still follow OMMAAT as I think you have great info!!! Merry Christmas.

  38. Nate Guest

    @UA869 I been on UA869 and UA862 too many time that I lost track. I quit flying that route because because of 10 across on a 777. Too tight so I took my business elsewhere.

    Anyway, I did thought of LAX to HKG but that market is too full for another route. Three Cathay Pacific routes, American Airline (AA193) and Hong Kong Airline(HX69). I do like AA193 redeyes because I get to HKG in the morning but I dont like AA due to their rolling delays.

  39. David Gold

    LAX - POM (Port Moresby) - PER

  40. Micah Member

    EWR-AKL - First nonstop from East Coast to Oceania? Would qualify as historic. Maybe EWR - Istanbul new airport. Would be the first US airline to return service to Turkey and first US based airline with service to their new airport.

  41. Mike Guest

    “An historic”?! I guess UA doesn’t have any copywriters!

  42. wr2 Guest

    Please please be SFO-BKK

  43. UA869 Guest

    My wish is HKG-LAX, hopefully redeye flights both ways, to better utilize their 1 (going to be 2) 777-300ERs sitting in HKG for some 16 hrs every night.

  44. isaac Guest

    SFO to HAN or SGN but seeing they flew HKG-SGN historic would be to HAN

  45. Mfb123 Guest

    While there are many routes I would consider “interesting” (EWR-JNB), there are very few I would consider “historic”. The only one that comes to mind would be XXX-SGN, as I’m not sure the last time a US carrier operated service to Vietnam.

  46. Rjb Guest

    UA is going to operate a flight from IAD to LGA on time for the first time in history

  47. Brian Guest

    Bring back service to YQR / YXE!

    ... no?

  48. Jeff with an opinion Member

    Hah SFO or LAX to BKK would be big news

  49. Patrice Guest

    BOS-CDG, BOS-HNL, BOS-YVR, BOS-LHR, BOS-DUB

  50. Nate Guest

    I have no clue. I did thought of a new route to Africa.

  51. Jeff with his opinion Member

    Duluth, MN to Luang Prabang

  52. Franklyn Guest

    @matt I doubt it's a reimaging of IAD. Or A new terminal. MWAA execs would want a photo opp with Oscar.

  53. Johhny Guest

    My guess is it won’t be a new route at all, but an existing route on which the begin providing decent customer service.

  54. samuel_m Guest

    SFO-FCO would be my first guess.

    Of course, it would be great if they would announce expansion into India and/or Africa from the West Coast!

  55. Justin Guest

    @Tim Pfingston

    LAX-MLE: 9,700 miles. A thousand miles longer than LAX-SIN. Makes perfect sense.

  56. Tim Pfingston Gold

    LAX-MLE
    They recently added LAX-PPT, and this would be a natural addition to another once in a lifetime destination.

  57. AlliW Member

    Looking for "historic" attribute. :-)

  58. Ray Guest

    Newark or DC to JNB would make perfect sense. They have SAA waiting on the other end to connect passengers, and UA has the more profitable aircraft to operate these routes (787 vs A340). Houston/Chicago to India would also be pretty sensible

  59. Alvin Guest

    Historic makes me think its a route not served previously. Exciting might mean longer (e.g. AKL, MEL, DXB, DEL) or new connectivity (e.g. DEN).

    What I'm feeling is more like a fifth freedom SFO-GUM-LAX / HKG / MNL

  60. Matt Guest

    Reimagining of IAD. New terminal (UA funded, ala DL), 10 new routes in next 18 months, Polaris lounge at existing C/D (already leaked). MWAA board meeting is tomorrow...

  61. Gheorghe New Member

    I think something like LAX - KIV or SFO - KIV

  62. Bill Guest

    I’ve been waiting for years to see UA offer IAD-JNB or EWR-JNB....and finally compete with always going bankrupt South African and with Delta’s very profitable ATL-JNB.

    I’d also love to see more nonstop international service from LAX to Europe. Like LAX-CDG. Or perhaps even LAX-TLV to compete with El Al.

  63. Tim Guest

    EWR CPT
    SFO BKK
    SFO GUM
    ORD SYD
    EWR DXB
    ORD DEL

  64. Justin Guest

    @Brad B they have a JV with Lufthansa. Look at the # of frequencies between NY (JFK/EWR) and FRA on both UA/LH ... IIRC it's like 5-6x/day.

  65. Greg Gold

    Bringing back RTW UA1/2?

  66. Mak Guest

    Hoping this is the EWR-GIG flight so many of us have been waiting for, and which would seem to make so much sense.

  67. GSBEWR Guest

    The way I initially read it made me wonder if "package" meant creating a new hub or expanding a focus city into a hub.

  68. Ohad Guest

    Maybe ORD-TLV. Tel having is quite a focus city for united in the last couple of years.

  69. Sam Guest

    I'm thinking:
    TUL-SCL
    ALB-AKL
    or maybe EWR-HRE

    Just kidding. But seriously, are any of these guesses based on actual facts or evidence?

  70. Robert Member

    Would be surprised if it's not JNB.

  71. John s Guest

    I got a hunch it is BKK or SGN

  72. Mick Member

    Hopefully Ord to Syd pls!!!!!

    Surely something like Denver to Frankfurt wouldn’t be that historic or exciting :)

    Wife and kids did Ord to akl last week. Such a benefit to us to be direct and overnight!!!

  73. Bryson Guest

    I’m surprised more people aren’t guessing expanded service to India from Chicago, DC, and/or Houston given how insanely priced the Newark flights have been lately. An Africa route also seems like a good bet to me.

  74. Evan Guest

    My first guess was service to Johannesburg. (Queenstown, NZ? Eastern Europe? Perth?)

  75. Brad B Member

    So have a few ideas:
    DEN-AMS (was locally hearing rumors of this in DEN right before DEN-FRA was announced)
    LHR-HNL
    SFO-GUM
    LAX-FRA
    ORD-SYD (not much further than LHR-PER)
    EWR-JNB
    DEN-PEK

    Increasing US to FRA frequencies (it is crazy that IAH and EWR only have one per day)

  76. Jake Guest

    Don’t know why but when I first saw the headline I instantly thought of their pacific hubs (Guam and Honolulu).

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Dave - Canada Member

I suspect this "historic" news will be a letdown, much like "enhancements". What I would consider historic but so unlikely that it's impossible are: 1. Return to JFK with flights to SFO, LAX, LHR. 2. Return of something similar to Pan Am's round the world service. UA could start same plane service SYD-SFO-IAD-LHR-SIN-SYD. Or AKL-SFO-LHR-SIN-AKL. Or ORD-LHR-BOM-ORD.

0
Erik Guest

I guess I have a different definition of "historic" than Oscar's. Dec 12 (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc said on Wednesday it would add flights to New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne from San Francisco, as the No. 3 U.S. airline looks to tap higher-paying international routes. The airline also plans to start a second daily flight between San Francisco and Seoul as well as new year-round nonstop flights between the U.S. city and Auckland, Tahiti and Amsterdam in 2019.

0
Arthur Lo Guest

HKG to LHR, re-establish the historical RTW flight ;)

0
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