United Airlines is set to increase its presence in Asia by introducing daily flights to Vietnam and Thailand beginning in October, further bolstering its status as the U.S. airline with the most extensive service in the region.
This expansion features a strategic approach that is somewhat atypical for the carrier. United plans to operate flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco that will initially head to Hong Kong before continuing on to the newly added destinations in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. These new routes are scheduled to commence on October 26.
Additionally, on October 25, United will initiate a second daily nonstop flight from San Francisco to Manila, Philippines. Looking ahead, a new nonstop service from San Francisco to Adelaide, Australia will be launched on December 11, operating three times a week.
United has been aggressively expanding its route network to include unique and distant locations that are not served by competing carriers, with recent additions like Nuuk, Greenland, and Bilbao, Spain, slated to begin operations later this year. This careful selection of destinations is crucial as airlines aim to enhance their lucrative loyalty programs and create appealing options for travelers.
Notably, Bangkok has seen a surge in demand, with Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of network and global alliances, attributing some of this popularity to the HBO series “White Lotus.”
Quayle confirmed that the airline has no plans to cut any of its international routes as it prepares for the upcoming winter schedule.
