United Airlines will add a new route to Taipei (TPE) from its remote Guam (GUM) hub in 2025.
United Airlines Adds Guam – Taipei Route To Schedule
As first noted by Zach Griff, the route is “new” in the sense that it has not operated in 19 years, but is actually a resumption of a long-dormant route. Continental Airlines and its Continental Micronesia subdivision once had a more robust route network from Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in the US territory of Guam. Until October 2005, Continental Micronesia operated this route.
The return of this route after a 20-year hiatus comes as United Airlines also experiments with Boeing 737 service to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (UBN) and Cebu, Philippines (CEB) from its former hub in Tokyo Narita (NRT).
United’s new route to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) will launch on April 2, 2025, and operate twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft per the following schedule:
- UA165 – Guam (GUM) – Taipei (TPE) dep 7:00 am arr 9:25 am (4 hours, 25 minutes)
- UA166 – Taipei (TPE) – Guam (GUM) dep 11:00 am arr 4:50 pm (3 hours, 50 minutes)
Taipei-based China Airlines, a SkyTeam member and Delta Air Lines partner, also operates this route.
Addressing the new route, Sam Shinohara, United’s Managing Director of Airport Operations – Asia-Pacific, said:
“The launch of the new Taipei-Guam service underscores United’s commitment to Guam and the region by opening new routes that offer more ways for travelers to enjoy Guam and the Micronesia region. Opening the new market will support the island’s tourism recovery efforts and plans to diversify its inbound markets. The new route provides convenient connections for travelers throughout Asia and a new direct and convenient destination for Guam travelers to enjoy Taiwan’s exciting and unique cultural, culinary, natural, and historical experiences.”
Tickets are on sale now and start at about $480 round-trip.
Fun Fact: United Airlines temporarily operated service between Guam and Taipei in 2021 due to pandemic restrictions, but was only a technical stop between San Francisco and Tapiei with no tickets sold only between GUM and TPE.
> Read More: United Airlines’ Taipei Flight Now Makes Technical Stop In Guam
This is great news for GUAM. Taiwan’s economy is now booming, thanks to red hot semiconductor industry. Also Taiwan residents no longer need visa to visit USA since 2012, this will make TPE-GUM route more accessible to Taiwan residents.
I wonder if they will expand SFO to TPE to three times daily if it’s booming that much. EVA Air flies it three times daily
Too bad United did use Songshan Airport, the LaGuardia of Taipei.
Taipei Songshan – Guam -SFO. Maybe on the reverse, try SFO to TSA nonstop
That would have been unique and good, but UA Perhpas feels that it can feed traffic to/from BR.
China Airlines has no flights between Taipei (TPE) – Guam (GUM) now.
Guam used to have 2 tiers of tourist sources: Upper tier was Japanese tourists arriving in the afternoon, and lower tier was Koreans, HKG/TPE/PVG arriving tired after a short red-eye flights, forced to pay an extra night to have a nap or join a half-day tour to burn time until check-in.
Half of Japanese market never returned post-Covid. And TPE will now be upgraded to the daytime tier!
TPE has overdosed on expensive fashion stores inside the airport and seemed to want to even put them in less trafficked parts of the airport.
TPE airport gives Taiwan one of the more interesting airports in the world with some interesting exhibits/displays/play areas and even free showers (but you’ll have to pay an amenity basket fee if you don’t want to deal with your own towel and soap. And they have great TOTO toilets. And all the (international) gates behind security are connected regardless of terminal.
“UA165 – Guam (GUM) – Taipei (TPE) dep 7:00 am arr 9:25 am (4 hours, 25 minutes)
UA166 – Taipei (TPE) – Guam (GUM) dep 11:00 am arr 4:50 pm (3 hours, 50 minutes)
Taipei-based China Airlines, a SkyTeam member and Delta Air Lines partner, also operates this route.”
Delta operates this route?
Oops, never mind. I misread that.