United Airlines will significantly expand its winter flight schedule between the United States and countries across the Pacific Ocean, as the airline continues to strengthen its leading US-Pacific market position.
Starting with the 2023 winter season, which begins on October 29, 2023, United Airlines’ transpacific network will include 15 destinations. “Excluding mainland China flying, United’s transpacific network will be 50% larger than all other U.S. airlines combined,” noted the airline’s announcement.
The carrier will introduce flights between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), and LAX and Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT).
It will also operate a double daily route from SFO to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) compared to its current daily flight.
However, flights to MNL, HKG, and TPE are still pending governmental approvals.
“United offers more flights to more destinations across the Pacific than all other U.S. airlines combined,” said Patrick Quayle, the senior vice president of Global Network Planning and Alliances at United Airlines. Quayle added that the airline is “excited to bring this new service to Manila while expanding access to Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo”.
As a result of the expansion across the Pacific, the carrier will become the only US-based airline to offer direct flights from the continental US to the Philippines. It is also the sole airline connecting the mainland US and TPE and HKG.
In April 2023, United Airlines announced the largest-ever route network expansion across the South Pacific, with the airline adding 40% more flights between Australia and New Zealand for the winter 2023 season.
At the time, the company said that it would have “more flights and serve more destinations between the U.S. and Australia and the U.S. and New Zealand than any other carrier in the world”.