United Airlines ups the ante on Italy with the introduction of new Newark-Palermo and Washington-Venice flights.
“Expanding beyond traditional business destinations”
United Airlines is predicting record numbers for the summer of 2025 when the schedule of the US airline with the largest number of flights across the Atlantic, will be the most extensive in its history, with over 760 weekly flights. An expansion that will touch destinations that are, as Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, puts it, “off the beaten track. United has always been known as a leading international airline, but over the past eight years we have expanded the international network beyond traditional business destinations. We're looking to fly to places that speak to all target travellers, from newlywed couples to adventure seekers and beyond.”
Italy is the object of desire for United Airlines
Among United’s novelties, which include flights to eight new cities, there is a new Italian entry, Palermo, as well as a new route to Venice (already connected with New York) from Washington.
Italy, therefore, reconfirms itself as the object of desire for United Airlines which recently announced a flurry of new routes for the summer of 2025. Adding to Milan, Rome, Naples and Venice, United will be the only US airline to offer non-stop services between the US and Palermo, the capital of Sicily, and by summer 2025 it will be operating up to 13 direct services a day to Italy.
Newark-Palermo will start on 21 May 2025
The Newark-Palermo - initially scheduled for 2020 but put on stand-by due Covid - will take off on 21 May with three frequencies a week on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays and will be served by a Boeing767-400. The seasonal service between Venice and Washington will start on 23 May 2025, with daily flights operated by a Boeing 767-300 configured in three classes of service: 30 United Polaris suites with fully reclining seats, 24 United Premium Plus seats for more comfort, and 149 seats in Economy, of which 32 in Economy Plus with extra legroom.
Milan Malpensa-San Francisco may be in the pipeline
Flights from Dulles International Airport will be in addition to Newark, and will be brought forward to 30 March next year, three weeks earlier than this year's operation. United’s plans already stretch beyond 2025 when a new connection between Milan Malpensa and San Francisco (a destination already served by Rome) could be in the pipeline.
