United Airlines is Going to Fly Where?!?!

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner above the clouds (Source: United AIrlines)

United Airlines has announced some new routes for 2022. And to be honest, I just don’t get it…

What are the new routes?

United is going to fly to these new destinations three times per week. *

  • Amman, Jordan (AMM) — starting May 5, 2022, United will fly from Washington Dulles using a Boeing 787-8
  • Bergen, Norway (BGO) — starting May 20, 2022, United will fly from Newark using a Boeing 757-200
  • Palma de Mallorca, Spain (PMI) — starting June 9, 2022, United will fly from Newark using a Boeing 767-300
  • Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal (PDL) — starting May 13, 2022, United will fly from Newark using a Boeing 737 MAX 8
  • Tenerife, Spain (TFS) — starting June 2, 2022, United will fly from Newark using a Boeing 757-200

*Ponta Delgada will be a daily service between June and August, 2022.

a collage of different buildings

Why?

That’s what I am wondering. Don’t get me wrong… it’s always nice when an airline tries new things, and offers non-stop routes.

But Tenerife?  Although it has a few nice hotels, it’s little more than a mediocre beach destination for Northern Europeans. Palma de Mallorca? Again mostly European visitors who wouldn’t normally stray too far from the beach or the golf course, although the cathedral is worth a few hours of your time.

Of course, United might also see some demand from residents in those places to visit New York in the summertime. Or from expats returning home to visit family.  I certainly hope that United isn’t expecting to fill planes, however small, with US leisure travellers only…

Bottom line

What do you think of these new routes?  Exciting?  Odd? Something you would want to book?  Let us know in the comments section…