United Airlines is planning its biggest international expansion to date for summer 2027, adding 10 new international cities to its global network, alongside four additional routes to destinations it already serves.
The new destinations span across Europe and Asia, with United particularly strengthening its presence in Southern Europe. Eight of the ten new cities will have a nonstop service from the US, with no other US airline currently offering the same connection. The first new routes are scheduled to begin in March 2027, with the majority launching between April and June (although they remain subject to government approval).
Ten new international destinations
The new routes will operate from United’s major US hubs, with Newark seeing the largest expansion. The airline will introduce six new destinations from Newark, including Luxembourg City, Ljubljana, Olbia in Sardinia, Catania in Sicily, Ibiza and Valencia, as well as Marseille and Terceira in The Azores.
San Francisco will gain a new three-times-weekly service to Okinawa, while Washington Dulles will add daily flights to Toulouse.
| Route | Start date | Frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco – Okinawa | 27 March 2027 | 3 times weekly | Boeing 777-200ER |
| Newark – Luxembourg City | 2 April 2027 | Daily | Airbus A321XLR |
| Washington Dulles – Toulouse | 26 April 2027 | Daily | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark – Ljubljana | 12 May 2027 | 4 times weekly | Boeing 767-400ER |
| Newark – Olbia, Sardinia | 27 May 2027 | 3 times weekly | Boeing 767-300ER |
| Newark – Catania, Sicily | 28 May 2027 | 4 times weekly | Boeing 767-300ER |
| Newark – Ibiza | 31 May 2027 | 4 times weekly | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark – Valencia | 2 June 2027 | 3 times weekly | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark – Marseille | 4 June 2027 | Daily | Airbus A321XLR |
| Newark – Terceira, Azores | 9 June 2027 | 3 times weekly | Boeing 737 MAX 8 |
Four more international routes
The expansion isn’t limited to new destinations. United is also adding four new routes to cities already served by the airline.
Los Angeles will gain daily nonstop flights to Osaka, giving United service to Osaka from two continental US cities. Washington Dulles will gain a three-times-weekly service to Milan, while Denver will receive daily nonstop flights to Paris.
United is also planning to restart its San Francisco–Tel Aviv route in March, with three flights per week.
| Route | Start date | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles – Osaka | 27 March 2027 | Daily |
| San Francisco – Tel Aviv | 28 March 2027 | 3 times weekly |
| Denver – Paris | 27 May 2027 | Daily |
| Washington Dulles – Milan | 28 May 2027 | 3 times weekly |
A major boost for Southern Europe
United will serve more destinations in Spain, Portugal, Italy and France than any other US airline, giving its network an increasingly strong focus on secondary cities and leisure destinations rather than the traditional European hubs.
Routes launched in 2026 will also return for next summer, with services from Newark to Split, Bari, Glasgow and Santiago de Compostela continuing in 2027.
The new Airbus A321XLR
A significant part of the expansion will be operated by United’s new Airbus A321XLR, which the airline has named ‘Born to Explore’.
The single-aisle aircraft will be used on routes including Ibiza, Luxembourg City, Marseille, Toulouse and Valencia. It will feature 20 United Polaris suites with privacy doors, 12 United Premium Plus seats and Economy Plus seating, as well as free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members and 4K OLED seatback screens with Bluetooth connectivity.
United expects the A321XLR to begin domestic operations in September 2026 before entering international services in December, initially flying from Washington Dulles to Amsterdam and Dublin.
