This summer, United Airlines will add more than two dozen new routes in order to meet soaring overseas travel demand. The Chicago-based carrier announced on Thursday that it will be able to fly to 114 international cities this summer, including nearly 25 new routes and expanding its flying by 25% compared to 2022 because demand for travel outside the U.S. continues to surge.
According to the carrier's booking data, international bookings on United are already up 15% in March compared with the same period in 2022.
The airline will have more than two dozen daily flights to London's Heathrow Airport and also provide service to Amman, the Azores, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife.
There will be additional flights to Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Shannon, Edinburgh and Naples. The news comes after United and Delta said they plan to make record profit margins from the transatlantic market during the summer.
Americans have proven they are willing to travel no matter the cost, and that's why cost pressures haven't waned for the travel industry.
Despite increasing economic concerns and inflation, airlines and hotels reported continued surge in demand for travel. The recently announced that it is experiencing unprecedented demand for American passports, which is causing a backlog.
The federal agency said it would take more than four months to get a passport, given that it receives roughly 500,000 passport applications a week, a 30% to 40% increase from last year.