United Airlines has announced four new nonstop routes across Europe for the Summer 2026 season, expanding its transatlantic network to 46 cities, more than any other US carrier. The new destinations include Split in Croatia, Bari in Italy, Glasgow in Scotland, and Santiago de Compostela in Spain, all operated from the airline’s Newark hub.
The expansion is part of United’s broader international growth plan, which also adds daily service from Washington Dulles to Reykjavik and a new year-round route between Newark and Seoul. In addition, the airline will further boost its Tel Aviv schedule with four additional weekly flights, bringing the total to 18 per week.
Four New Routes To Launch Between April And May 2026
The new European services will begin between late April and May 2026. United will launch flights to Split on April 30, followed by Bari on May 1, Glasgow on May 8, and Santiago de Compostela on May 22. These routes will give travelers direct access to destinations that currently have no nonstop links to the United States.
The airline will deploy Boeing 767-300ER aircraft to Split and Bari, featuring 46 Polaris business-class seats, 22 Premium Plus recliners, 43 Economy Plus seats, and 56 standard economy seats. Meanwhile, Glasgow and Santiago de Compostela will be operated by the 166-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8. Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances at United, said:
“United has an unmatched international network, and we pride ourselves on connecting our customers to unique, trendsetting destinations no other US airline serves. With the addition of these new flights and the return of all of our new routes from last year, United now flies to 46 cities across the Atlantic – more than any other airline.”
New Routes Target Emerging Tourist Markets In Italy, Croatia & Spain
All four routes will run seasonally from 
Newark Liberty International Airport, with frequencies ranging from three to seven flights per week depending on the destination. It is no surprise that United is expanding its presence in Southern Europe. Both the airline and its competitors have acknowledged that major hubs such as London, Paris, and Rome have shown slower growth in recent seasons, which has prompted carriers to explore secondary destinations with stronger tourism demand.
In Croatia, United will now serve both Split and Dubrovnik. Previously, passengers headed to Split typically connected through major European airports or traveled round-trip from Dubrovnik. In Italy, the new Bari service will create a nonstop link to the Puglia region, which has seen rising international interest. In total, the airline will offer up to 15 flights per day to Italy across six destinations next summer, including the only US carrier service to Palermo and Bari.
|
Destination |
Start Date |
Frequency |
|---|---|---|
|
Split |
April 30, 2026 |
Seasonal; three times a week |
|
Bari |
May 1, 2026 |
Seasonal; four times a week |
|
Glasgow |
May 8, 2026 |
Seasonal; daily |
|
Santiago de Compostela |
May 22, 2026 |
Seasonal; three times a week |
Glasgow, meanwhile, is not entirely new to the airline’s network. The city was last served in the summer 2019 season before flights were suspended during the pandemic. For years, United operated the Newark–Glasgow route with the Boeing 757-200. Besides, United also serves Edinburgh year-round and remains the largest carrier between the United States and Scotland.
Santiago de Compostela, on the other hand, is a completely new addition for the airline. The city will receive three-times-weekly seasonal service from Newark starting May 22, marking the first regularly scheduled flights between the US and Santiago de Compostela. United will be the only carrier operating the route and now flies to six destinations in Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, and Bilbao.
United Adds Reykjavik And Seoul Flights In Wider Long-Haul Expansion
In addition, United will launch a new daily service between Washington Dulles International Airport and Reykjavik Airport starting May 21, 2026. The route will complement the airline’s existing Iceland service from Chicago O’Hare and Newark and will be operated by a Boeing 757-200. It will also make United the only carrier offering lie-flat business class seats between the two capitals. The Star Alliance member will compete directly with Icelandair on this route.
Furthermore, the only new transpacific route announced in the recent expansion is a daily service from Newark to Seoul, beginning September 4. The route builds on United’s existing twice-daily flights from San Francisco and will make it the only US airline flying nonstop to Seoul from the Northeast.
Delta Air Lines currently serves the South Korean capital from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and Seattle, while American Airlines flies only from Dallas–Fort Worth. Besides, this year, United is adding three more long-haul destinations, which it announced earlier in April. Service to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City begins later this month, followed by flights to Adelaide in December.
