United Airlines will add five additional flights to London Heathrow in 2022, including double daily service from Denver, two more flights from Newark, a third flight from San Francisco, and finally launch new service from Boston.
United Airlines To Bolster Service To London In 2022
London has been a relative bright spot for United when it comes to business travel. While business demand to many European destinations has been slow to return, United cites London as its strongest business market for the month of October and expects this trend to continue once U.S. borders re-open early next month.
This month United is operating seven daily flights to London Heathrow. Next month, it will operate 10, with additional service from Newark and Chicago. But by next spring, that number will grow to 22 daily flights.
To meet what is expected to be an increase in demand, United is adding the following five flights to London Heathrow:
- Boston (BOS)
- New daily flight will begin next spring using a Boeing 767-300ER
- Denver (DEN)
- Daily flights will resume and a second daily flight will be added using a Boeing 787-9
- Newark (EWR)
- A sixth and seventh daily flight will be added using a Boeing 767-300ER
- San Francisco (SFO)
- A third daily flight will be added using a Boeing 777-200ER
Daily service from Los Angeles (LAX) will also resume next spring using a Boeing 787-9.
That means United will boast the following daily flights to London Heathrow next spring:
- Boston (BOS) – 1 flight
- Denver (DEN) – 2 flights
- Chicago (ORD) – 3 flights
- Houston (IAH) – 2 flight
- Los Angeles (LAX) – 1 flight
- Newark (EWR) – 7 flights
- San Francisco (SFO) – 3 flights
- Washington Dulles (IAD) – 3 flights
Patrick Quayle, United’s Senior Vice President of International Networks and Alliances, said:
“For nearly 30 years, United has provided a critical link between the U.S. and London, maintaining service throughout the pandemic and strategically growing our schedule to keep our customers in these key global business centers connected. London is an integral part of United’s network and we remain confident demand will continue to grow, particularly as international business travel returns in 2022.”
The exact starting dates of the new service have not been announced. 12 of the London flights, more than half of the daily service, will be operated by “premium” or “High J” 767-300s featuring:
- 46 Polaris (business class) seats
- 22 Premium Plus (premium economy) seats
- 43 Economy Plus (extra legroom economy) seats
- 56 economy class seats
That includes service from Boston, Chicago, and Newark.
> Read More: United Airlines 767-300ER Business Class
CONCLUSION
With the addition of Boston service and resumption of Los Angeles service, United will offer service between the top seven business destinations in the USA and London. Will the demand be sufficient to fill up so many planes? United thinks so. London is calling.
image: United Airlines
We are in the middle of a pandemic. How could United possibly justify all these new international flights? #StayHomeSaveLives
LIFE must go on and people the country cannot quit living. Besides a disease with a 99.5% survivability is no reason to stop living. If you have any problems such as emphysema, diabetes, heart problems, then get vaccinated and stay home but the world should not stop over Covid. It is proven that lock downs, staying at home does not work.
The Boston flight is technically a resumption as well. United flew from Boston to London Heathrow from 1999 – 2001. With a 767-300. Will be interesting to see how all this new and resumed capacity plays out.
Let’s bring all those out of control covid variants from UK to here. Why not, United!
From
https://www.acl-uk.org/completed-slot-trades/
I am surprised to learn that UA received BOS-LHR slots from British Airways!
Now the question is, where does UA acquire the remaining 4 daily LHR slots pair in order to increase frequency?
Let’s home United don’t delay any longer in getting their LHR lounge open again with all these announcements.
Are these increases permanent year round or just for summer 2022?
Shout out Denver! Now up to 5 daily Polaris flights! Give us a lounge now!
They are described as daily, but I would imagine all 22 flights will not be needed in the winter months.
Question for the road warriors–given the choice, would you fly UA rather than European carriers (such as VS, AF, etc.)?
For me, I choose VS every time if I can. The service is just SO GOOD, it feels incredibly luxurious. I also really like the bedding, I’ve always had good food, their arrivals lounge is lovely, most of their Clubhouses in the US are great, the LHR Clubhouse is GREAT, on and on.
People complain about the seat on the 787, but I actually really like it, I choose it over the A350 on a day time flight. I love the buddy seat, the bar, etc.
It’s absolutely a better choice than UA.
All that being said, it’s a younger vibe, so if you prefer a more classic (hate to use the word stuffy, but I mean it in a nice way) vibe, I would fly one of the other carriers.
I am trying to go to London this summer with my PlusPoints, but the PZ is 0 on every flight even though they’re wide open.
Do they release this at a certain time or what? I really would love my upgrade to confirm before the day of the flight.
Wouldn’t mind a flight to LHR from Seattle, now that I live here and no longer at a UAL hub.
Curious about the BOS-LHR route. Must be for a corporate client(s) or something because United doesn’t have all that big a presence in that city relative to JetBlue/American and Delta. Maybe it’s a tactical thing? Add seats to make it unprofitable for JetBlue’s new service? Seems like a stretch to me, though.
The BOS-LHR route is very simply a warning shot at JetBlue at EWR. If JB does obnoxious things at EWR, UA will retaliate by devastating fares on their BOS-LHR route. If JB plays nice at EWR – moderate presence, reasonable fares – UA will play nice on the BOS-LHR route. This route simply gives UA retaliation capability against JB. I don’t think they expect to make much money with it – might even already be planning on it to lose money. But the loss may be worth it if it limits the JB damage at EWR.
Unrelated but any idea when special meals will return on United international flights (not LHR specifically)?
At the very least, I’m hoping the Polaris Lounges besides IAD open soon so I can eat before getting on the plane!
@A I agree on lounge reopening. Had a trip to DUB and normally would dine in Polaris Lounge then go to sleep after takeoff. Instead resorted to grubby concourse fare. AA has their Flagship lounges open , so UA better take note. I live in a non UA hub city and fly in paid Biz class. So I’m not gaming upgrades and can fly on any carrier I choose. Pre departure premium lounges are an important part of my international travel experience