United’s Latest Route Expansion Includes Far-Flung Locales From Mongolia to Greenland

It’s become an annual tradition for travelers: predicting where United Airlines will launch new service the next year.

This unexpected ritual can be credited to United’s Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, and his team. For the 2025 summer season, there is even more pomp and circumstance than usual with the announcement.

That’s because United will have its largest international expansion in history, with service to 8 new cities. And at least a few of them are ones you may not have been expecting. 

From Mongolia to Greenland, here’s a closer look at what travelers can expect when flying United abroad in 2025. 

Across the Pacific: Mongolia, Palau, and More

Starting next year, United Airlines will become the only U.S. airline to serve Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 

The twist, however, is that United is focused on rebuilding its hub at Tokyo Narita (NRT). Service to these destinations will originate from within Asia. 

Narita service to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (UBN) will launch on May 1, 2025, while Narita to Kaohsiung, Taiwan (KHH) flights begin on July 11. Both routes will feature a narrowbody Boeing 737. 

“It’s really about creating more one-stop connections to unique destinations,” Quayle said in a media briefing that Upgraded Points attended. “We went through the data and Mongolia connections were typically through Beijing [on other carriers], but since that’s not happening as much anymore, we can have travelers connect in Tokyo.”

In addition, United will add a year-round, nonstop flight between Narita and Koror, Palau (ROR). United is the only U.S. airline to serve Palau, with existing service from Guam and Manila. 

Across the Atlantic: Greenland, Bilbao, and More 

While travelers won’t see any new transpacific service next summer, there will be plenty of action across the Atlantic. Most of the excitement is from United’s Newark (EWR) hub. 

In fact, United will offer 5 destinations from Newark that no other U.S. airline serves: Nuuk, Greenland; Palermo, Italy; Bilbao, Spain; and both Madeira Island and Faro in Portugal. 

“What we’ve found is as we grow our customer base, that savvy traveler who has been to Paris, Rome, and Madrid so many times is looking for something different,” Qualye noted. 

Twice-weekly narrowbody service to Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk (GOH) from Newark (EWR) starts on June 14, 2025. Beginning May 21, United will launch 3 weekly seasonal flights between Newark (EWR) and Palermo, Italy (PMO). Also, nonstop service to Bilbao, Spain (BIO) launches from Newark (EWR) on May 31. 

In Portugal, service from Newark to Faro (FAO) will operate 4 times weekly starting May 16, while Newark to Maderia Island (FNC) will have 3 weekly flights starting June 7.

Finally, United is also putting a new pin on the map in Africa with a nonstop Washington Dulles (IAD) to Dakar, Senegal (DAK) flight, launching May 23. This year-round, 3-times weekly service builds on the airline’s existing service to Cape Town (CPT), Johannesburg (JNB), Accra (ACC), and Lagos (LOS), and upcoming seasonal service to Marrakesh (RAK). 

Expansion in Central America

United will become the first and only airline to operate flights between the U.S. and Puerto Escondido, Mexico (PXM) in Oaxaca. Starting on April 5, this service will operate weekly from Houston (IAH). This flight will be operated by Mesa Airlines with Embraer 175 aircraft.

United will also add a daily flight from San Francisco (SFO) to San José, Costa Rica (SJO), operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. This route addition means United will now fly to San José from all 7 of its U.S. hubs.

More Flying To Popular Hot Spots 

While new destinations will hog the spotlight, many existing United destinations will also get increased service or earlier resumptions. 

Starting May 22, United will begin seasonal flying to Venice (VCE) and Nice (NCE) from Washington Dulles (IAD). 

United will also resume service to several destinations earlier in the season to give customers more time to explore. From Newark (EWR), United will resume flights to Athens (ATH) on March 6; Venice (VCE) on March 29; and Dubrovnik, Croatia, which will also increase to daily service, on May 1. The San Francisco (SFO) to Barcelona and Chicago (ORD) to Athens (ATH) routes will also resume on May 1.

Final Thoughts 

Next summer, United will fly its largest-ever transatlantic schedule with more than 760 weekly flights to over 40 destinations. Quayle and company are not only creating excitement with some of these far-flung places but also believe they’re setting up travel trends for the following year.

“United now provides some of the most unique, unexpected, and unserved locales around the world, and it’s something that’s become a core part of our brand,” Quayle added.