United Airlines adds new routes in its largest transatlantic expansion

Oct. 14 (UPI) -- United Airlines is adding five new transatlantic routes in Spring 2022 in anticipation of rebounding demand for travel.

The Chicago-based airline said Thursday it will add 10 new flights and five new destinations that include Amman, Jordan; Bergen, Norway; Azores, Portugal; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands.

United said the new routes are not served by any other North American carrier and mark the company's largest transatlantic expansion.

Next year, United will add flights to five major European cities including Berlin; Dublin, Ireland; Milan, Italy; Munich, Germany; and Rome. United will also resume service to routes interrupted by the pandemic including Bangalore, India; Frankfurt, Germany; Tokyo's Haneda Airport; Nice, France; and Zurich, Switzerland (subject to government approval).

"Given our big expectations for a rebound in travel to Europe for summer, this is the right time to leverage our leading global network in new, exciting ways," Patrick Quayle, United senior vice president of international network and alliances, said in a statement.

The United States has been easing travel restrictions that have blocked visitors from Europe and elsewhere. In November, the United States will allow foreign travelers who provide proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test.

United has been taking other steps to prepare for increased demand for travel. Earlier this month, the company said it will operate more than 3,500 daily domestic flights in December, amounting to 91% of its 2019 capacity. Over the summer, United announced its largest-ever order of aircraft, adding close to 300 new planes to its fleet.