In addition to its new flight to Marrakesh, United Airlines will add a new route from Tokyo to Cebu in the Philippines, a rare addition from its former Tokyo Narita hub. United will also launch new service to Medellin, Colombia and is increasing flights to Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Portugal. Let’s unpack this news.
United Airlines Tokyo – Cebu Service
Tokyo Narita (NRT) was once a bustling United Airlines hub, with intra-Asia service to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, Seoul, and Taipei. But as aircraft became more fuel efficient and able to reach more destinations nonstop and as Tokyo Haneda slots opened, Narita was dismantled as a hub.
While Narita is not regaining its status as a hub or even as a focus city, United Airlines will launch service between NRT and Cebu (CEB). The new flight will be operated by a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Service begins July 31, 2024 and will operate daily.
United also flies to Manila (MNL) from San Francisco (SFO), Guam (GUM), and Palau (ROR).
United Airlines Houston – Medellin Service
For the first time, United will service Medellin, Colombia (MDE) with a new flight from Houston (IAH) starting on October 27, 2024.
The new flight will operate daily and utilize a Boeing 737 aircraft. This will complement service to Bogota (BOG), which United serves from Newark (EWR) and Houston.
Other Route Additions
In addition to these new destinations, United will also add other routes:
- United will add a second daily flight between Newark and Porto, Portugal (OPO) on a Boeing 757-200, starting May 23, 2024
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Shanghai (PVG) will relaunch on August 29, 2024 using a Boeing 787-9 and operate 4x weekly
- United will launch a second daily Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) flight on October 26, 2024 using a Boeing 787-9
- San Francisco – Seoul will move to double daily (year around) on October 25, 2024 with a second flight
CONCLUSION
This summer, United is launching an interesting new route from Narita to Cebu. Later in the year it will add service from Houston to Medellin and increase service to Mainland China and Hong Kong from LAX.
While the big news today may be the new Marrakesh route, these other new routes present further opportunities for strategic growth.
What do you make of the new Cebu route and other routes announced today?
Makes sense as trans-Pacific routes are really packed from my experience the past few months. Hopefully more competition in this sector would translate to pre-covid fares too.
That is interesting, because I think this is precisely what United does not want – cheap fares that don’t make money. We’ll see. I’m also hoping for cheaper fares to Asia!
Well , somehow I don’t see Narita to Cebu as a crowded daily flight . Perhaps vacationers ? Akin to Cabo ?
Meanwhile, Delta’s disciplined growth from LAX and SEA makes it highly probable it will eventually overtake United as the largest transpacific carrier. These route additions are just odd. There is no premium yield for LAX-HKG/PVG and the flight from NRT-CEB is simply strange. Who wants to fly on a 737-800 on a 2,033 mile flight? Who wants to fly on a 757-200 across the Atlantic?
United is desperate.
Who are you to say this? What data/ insight do you have? I trust the people who actually analyze the data for a living rather than some fly by night desperate online poster.
I have carefully analyzed the industry for decades and unlike Matthew, have a firm grasp of the underlying metrics of what makes an airline profitable. Delta has shown over and over that it knows how to make money while United is foolishly trying to grow its way to catch Delta. Delta will always command a revenue premium and is poised to continue to put pressure on United from the West Coast to Asia. The adage “steady wins the race” applies here. United will not catch Delta.
The fear is palpable…
You’re right -they’re so terrified. Quaking in their boots.
Well good for you. I’ve worked in the industry and made these decisions, both internationally and domestically. Nobody sits around and says “how can we “catch” Delta”.
The fact is that you arent doing that job now, dont know for sure how/why the decisions are being made, you just see everything though your obsessed Delta prism.
Delta made a huge mistake in getting rid of the red tails and the Northwest Airlines name. The Delta name is worthless over the Pacific. The problem is that Southerners are so hateful of other Americans.
Are you fully clothed when you get on here or do you have a towel stretched out on the floor below you?
Would this also make DL desperate since they operate 757 across the atlantic and 737 on 2,000+ mile flights? I’d include AA, but no 757 to fly across the atlantic anymore.
This is a ridiculous statement. United’s SFO hub, before these additional flights, already exceeded both DL and AA’s combined TPAC routes in the ENTIRE US.
DL needs to get on the level of AC’s YVR hub before you can even think about touching United’s level
CX are able to fill their double-daily flights on LAX-HKG at close to $10k RT in business, I reckon UA can easily make it work by continuing to undercutting them.
Wow, Tim. Even by your transparently anti-UA and anti-AA standards, this is very emotional, even for you.
It really does make you seem insecure and worried that UA will permanently eclipse DL. UA has proven themselves to be an innovator while DL follows.
Yes, DL makes more of a profit, but that is thanks to structural strengths of four fortress hubs, without even competing airports in the cities. 30 years ago, EA went out of business, giving them almost full dominance of a city without a near-sized competitor or even a competing airport, thanks to their strong-arm tactics.
The CPEs at ATL are also among the lowest, giving them a structural advantage that will pad their profits.
You ask why other airlines don’t “just add a hub”. There are so few hubs that aren’t already covered, so that new hubs generally underperform, with Exhibit A being DL’s SEA, shown to be the weakest among the US hubs, unable to support more than a handful of TPAC flights, in spite of its Pacific hub status.
So yes, DL makes more money than others, but not due to a premium product or any kind of innovation. They enjoy the fortune of monopolized hubs.
And UA is catching up while showing a great deal of innovation. Certainly a more interesting airline to watch, especially for aviation enthusiasts.
United recognizes the growing prosperity in Cebu and many Filipinos desire to travel to Japan without the often painful process of going through Manila (NAIA) airport. J.P. Morgan Chase has a strong presence there and their job openings are highly coveted according to my fiance in the PH. When I call Chase Bank my calls are routed to the call center in Cebu.
Cebu and the Philippines have so low yields that I am surprised they even have airports in that country
Hi Derek,
Yes I’m not sure how long this route will last. Maybe the airport fees are lower there (I don’t know). I’m just happy for the many Filipinos who want to go to Japan. No more missing connecting flights at NAIA.
@Reyl … How about the balak bayan boxes not making the connection flight ? I remember seeing the old PanAm checkin counters in HNL with scores of balak bayan boxes being re-packed for the flight . Canned goods , etc .
The Philippines’s economy is highly reliant on outbound overseas workers. How would they do that without an airport or two or more?
@derek … surprised they have airports in the country ? Welcome to the modern world .
Lots of Filipinos would love to go to Cebu. Lots of Japanese and Koreans also. I would rather use these routes by United rather than landing in NAIA airport in MNL. I don’t think UA uses a dart board for new routes.,
Hey Tim, maybe it’s time for you to buy some United stock to add to your Delta holdings?
That would be silly. I’m in the business of making money.
I wonder if you could ask Tim Dunn to concentrate his participation at OMAAT. We do not need someone here to glorify Delta and bashing AA and UA.
some people will go to any length to silence any voice that challenges voices that they disagree with.
I can guarantee you that the person posting as Tim Dunn can’t produce an ID that has that name on it.
Now I’m confused. Are you the real Tim Dunn?
So finally “Air Mike” is flying non-Mike segments once again. Two decades ago they had B764 NGO-HNL. After merger they had NRT-HKG-SGN/SIN. Now it’s back for NRT-CEB, serving both the CONUS and GUM/SPN Filipino markets.
Can someone explain or provide any more detail on how United utilizes a 737 for an inter-Asia flight? I assume they rotate a few ETOPS 737 (-8s?) from HNL, Guam, Tokyo, and now onward to Cebu? Just curious, because I’ve heard using narrow bodies for these types of routes was more common back in the day but barely seen now. Genuinely curious and if anyone has experience ever flying on a U.S. narrow body inter-pacific.
I’ve done the Island Hopper (HNL-GUM) and also flown from GUM-KIX and from MNL-ROR-GUM on United 738s. All in coach.
While not the most comfortable ride, it’s a cool part of the network.
When can we book these new routes?
“Tickets for Shanghai and Cebu flights are on sale now; Marrakesh and Medellín will be available in the coming weeks.”
From Google flights, I noticed that Philippines Airlines has daily non-stop flight between Cebu and Tokyo-Narita, and ANA is coshareing this flight.
Will UA upcoming new Cebu route a prelude of Philippine Airlines moving towards Oneworld alliance?
I wonder if UA flight crew based in GUAM be utilized to serve new NRT-CEB flight?
I think it is highly likely that GUM-based “Air Mike” crews will serve this route. Sadly, the NRT FA base is closed.
You’re so correct. Sadly the Narita flight attendant base is closed. They were lovely gracious ladies when they were members of my inflight crew.
I don’t get it. CEB-NRT is served by AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine. If the flight touched Guam, I might understand it, but it just makes no sense to me. On top of all this ANA already partners with PAL for Japan feed. Does Smisek have a buddy in Cebu they really likes fresh sushi or something?
UA has the advantage of exercising its 5th freedom rights to fly hundreds of NRT connecting passengers from Cebu to the US (think of LAX , SFO, DEN, IAH, EWR and beyond), a right that Air Asia, 5J & PR don’t have. Yields might be low but only time will tell if this route is a hit or a miss.