United Airlines has announced new nonstop flights as well as the resumpution of services for fun-in-the-sun places and international locations in their newly released winter 2026 schedule. Starting January 6th 2026, there will be new flights being offered in and out of the country for the people using Newark Liberty International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Chicago O’Hare, and Dulles Washington Aprort.
The latest additions to United will include nonstop flights departing out of Newark Liberty International Airport to Columbia in South Carolina and to Chattanooga in the state of Tennessee. On the other hand, the United flights flying directly out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston will service Central America by flying to Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San Pedro Sula.
Also United Airlines announced the flights to Tel Aviv that people from Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles have been waiting for. Patrick Quayle pointed out that the additions are not only to satisfy increasing traveler needs but also serve as a backup as low-cost carriers like Spirit Airlines hit rough patches in the industry.
New domestic and central American routes
United’s domestic expansion starts with new non-stop flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to Columbia and Chattanooga. These additions are designed for business and leisure customers in smaller, yet emerging, markets.
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, on the other hand, will be the focus of United’s international expansion. Starting in January, the hub will operate 3 weekly flights to Guatemala City and San Salvador, plus a new weekly connection to San Pedro Sula in Honduras. This is a substantial increase for passengers in the U.S. looking for direct access to Central America.
Apart from adding more destinations, United Airlines is also increasing frequency to some of its busiest routes, adding more daily flights to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Baltimore, Miami. Along with these, the airline also intends to deploy larger aircraft along the highly sought after Chicago O’Hare–New York LaGuardia route to offer greater capacity on an route that has consistently had high demand.
Resuming flights to Israel
United Airlines has recently announced direct flights from Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles to Tel Aviv which will commence from November 1, 2026. This will mark the first direct flights to Israel from Chicago alongside the resumed flights from Washington Dulles which will commence directly after on November 2, 2026.
United has aligned these flights with the existing operations on the Newark to Tel Aviv route, active multiple times a day, affirming its position as the main U.S. airline flying to Israel. “The resumption of these flights underscores United’s longstanding commitment to Tel Aviv,” said Patrick Quayle. The airline ensures that its flight path was selected thinking of the passengers’ safety and comfort.
Industry reactions and market competition
The expansion comes during a crucial period for the U.S. airline industry. Patrick Quayle did not shy away from the consequences of a possible disruption if Spirit Airlines goes deeply insolvent: “If Spirit suddenly goes out of business it will be incredibly disruptive, so we’re adding these flights to give their customers other options if they want or need them.”
Duncan Dee of Spirit Airlines responded to all of this and told Reuters, “While we appreciate the obsession certain airline executives have with us, we’re focused on competing and running a great operation. Suggesting anything else is wishful thinking on the part of a high-cost airline looking to eliminate a low-cost competitor so they can fulfill their ultimate goal of charging American travelers the highest fares possible.”
Although the airlines continue to compete against one another across the skies, the real winners of the competition are the passengers with new routes, adding flights, and simplifying connections.