United announced 10 new nonstop flight international cities on August 25, 2026, and tickets went on sale the same day. Scott Kirby spoke at Newark Liberty International Airport as the airline set service to begin as early as March 2027.
The expansion adds three new routes and puts United into Okinawa, Japan; Toulouse, France; Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Marseille, France; Ibiza, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Terceira, Portugal; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Olbia in Sardinia; and Catania in Sicily. United said eight of the 10 cities are served by no other U.S. airline.
Scott Kirby at Newark
Kirby said, "The creative and strategic way we've expanded our international network since the pandemic has made all the difference, not only for our customers and employees, but also as a way to differentiate United and build a brand focused on customers". He also said, "We offer the most flights across the Atlantic and Pacific and Newark is the best Atlantic gateway in the country - so far this year, it's the most on-time airport in the New York City area. We're going to keep building on that momentum as we welcome the new A321XLR to our fleet and continue to elevate the travel experience for every customer who chooses United."
Patrick Quayle said, "We aim to have a destination on our route map for every traveler, at every stage of their lives. Whether it's a business trip, a dream honeymoon, a bucket-list adventure, or a trip home to see family, we're making the world feel smaller and connecting cultures at a scale no other airline in the world can match". United said the announcement builds on nearly a decade of international growth, including 58 international destinations added since 2017.
A321XLR and United Polaris
United said the Born to Explore A321XLR will fly to some of the new cities. The aircraft features lie-flat seats in United Polaris and Economy Plus seats with extra elbow room across an open middle seat, giving the airline one cabin mix for longer routes and some of the point-to-point flying that does not need a widebody aircraft.
United said it is adding flights from Los Angeles to Osaka, Japan; from Washington, D.C. to Milan, Italy; and from Denver to Paris. It will also restart service from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, Israel, while tying the rest of the network to Europe and Asia with the same aircraft type.
United route map
The practical change for travelers is simple: tickets are already available on United.com and in the United app, but the new flights do not start until as early as March 2027. United said it now flies to more than 160 international destinations and described itself as the largest carrier across the Atlantic and Pacific.
For customers choosing among the new options, the open question is which exact city pairs will be assigned to the A321XLR and when each route will open. United has given the city list and the start window, and the booking window is already open.
