United Airlines Highlights Newark Gains With More Flights, Fewer Delays

United is touting its success at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) this summer, and it has plenty of reasons to be proud. Between challenges with runway construction, FAA upgrades, and flight restrictions, United managed to put together a well-run operation, explained further today during a media event held at the airport.

United held a media event at its Newark hub on Tuesday, and UpgradedPoints was present to hear about the latest updates.

On-Time Performance

United’s on-time performance in Newark was on par with its flights out of New York City’s JFK and LaGuardia (LGA) airports — something that hasn’t been seen in years. United’s flights arrived on time into Newark more than other airlines’ flights into JFK or LGA, creating a major incentive for travelers to use the New Jersey airport.

Over the summer, the FAA began limiting flights into Newark for safety reasons. Despite these restrictions, United offered more on-time flights than ever.

More Passengers

This summer, United flew more than 6,000,000 passengers through Newark, the most the airline has ever seen there. Out of this 6,000,000, 28,000 customers were saved by United’s new “Connection Saver” program, where flights are held to allow passengers on delayed incoming flights to be able to make the next flight. A calculated delay of just a few minutes can save many passengers and avoid customers having to stay the night in hotels or being rerouted through other cities.

This program has been so successful that other airlines, such as American Airlines, are following suit with their own versions.

More Destinations

United is offering more flights than any other airline in the New York City area. It plans to fly to more than 160 domestic and international destinations, and the airline is adding additional flights to Rome, Venice, Porto, Marrakesh and Dublin. For domestic flights, United is adding brand-new flights from Newark to Palm Springs, California; Columbia, South Carolina; and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

United’s operations in Newark include more European flights than any other United hub, and all European cities are served via Newark (with additional services to other hub cities on some routes). Newark provides service to 7 international destinations that are not flown to by any other U.S. airline. You’re more likely to fly a wide-body out of Newark than any other United hub, too. That can make for a better inflight experience.

This is good news for an airport that has traditionally been seen as secondary to New York JFK and LaGuardia.

Last year, United made headlines by announcing new service to Nukk, Greenland, the first passenger service flights to the northern neighbor. These exciting flights will make a comeback next year as well, providing travelers a unique vacation experience. The flight will operate to Nukk twice a week, departing on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Final Thoughts

United is rapidly improving its Newark hub by improving on-time performance, reducing cancellations, and adding new, exciting routes. With United now being the dominant carrier in the New York City metropolitan area, it’s good to see so many different customer enhancements in Newark. These will ultimately improve the passenger experience.