United Airlines plans more Boeing 757 flights to Europe in the peak summer of 2026 than at any point since 2017. This is because it will begin Washington Dulles to Keflavik service next year, which was revealed recently. It will compete directly with Icelandair, while the now-defunct PLAY ceased flying to Dulles last year.
The 
Star Alliance member’s 757s were inherited from Continental. According to ch-aviation, its 757-200s, which have 176 seats, average 28.7 years. They are paid off, which means that they are much cheaper in this sense than newer alternatives, which include its incoming Airbus A321XLRs. This helps to offset the higher fuel consumption and maintenance requirements. Elsewhere, United recently doubled its 737 MAX 8 routes to Europe.
United’s Most 757 Flights To Europe Since 2017
The figure above shows United’s 757 flights to Europe for each July since 2012. The exception is 2020, during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, when United did not use the type across the Atlantic. The data is from examining the carrier’s schedule submission to Cirium Diio.
Next July, some 558 one-way flights are planned, which is equivalent to 18 daily departures. They have risen by nearly 6% year-over-year and by a whopping 38% compared to before COVID-19 in July 2019. It means the aging but characterful 757 will operate 17% of United’s European services. This reflects the situation as of October 14, with changes likely.
Where Will United Fly The 757 Next July?
Sixteen airport pairs are planned for the peak of next year. That is one more than in July 2025, with Washington Dulles to Keflavik being the sole addition. As of now, everything else remains the same. That includes United’s two new routes from Newark, where the airline has 72% of flights, to Southern Europe. Faro service began in May 2025, followed by Bilbao the following month.
United will depart from Dulles for Keflavik on May 22, 2026. When it does, the market will then have two operators for the first time since PLAY pulled out in 2024. Moreover, now that Icelandair deploys the 737 MAX 8/MAX 9, it will be the first time it has seen the 757 since 2022. United’s offering will mean more options for passengers connecting from across the US to reach the ever-popular Iceland.
|
757 Frequency In July 2026* |
Route** |
|---|---|
|
Two daily |
Newark to Edinburgh and Porto; Washington Dulles to Dublin |
|
Daily |
Chicago O’Hare to Edinburgh, Keflavik, and Shannon; Newark to Brussels, Dublin, Keflavik, Malaga, Shannon, Stockholm Arlanda; Washington Dulles to Edinburgh and Keflavik |
|
Four weekly |
Newark to Faro |
|
Three weekly |
Newark to Bilbao |
|
* Planned as of October 14, and subject to change |
** Planned as of October 14, and subject to change |
Three routes will have two daily flights. They include Newark to Porto, which is Portugal’s second most populous city. United has served it since 2018. Fellow Star member TAP Air Portugal, which is developing a mini-hub in Porto out of necessity, will serve Newark daily on the A321LR.
The Greater NYC-Porto market is heating up. On May 21, 2026, Delta will commence its daily New York JFK operation on the 767-300ER. It will replace Azores Airlines, which briefly served that airport pair weekly (!) in 2024 using a 767-300ER leased from EuroAtlantic.
Newark To Stockholm Remains United’s Longest European 757 Service
At 3,415 nautical miles (6,325 km) each way, Newark to the Swedish capital will still be United’s longest 757 operation to Europe next July. In fact, given the dwindling number of carriers using the type, it will be the world’s longest scheduled passenger 757 operation.
Until SAS moved to SkyTeam in September 2024, it was a good example of a long-haul Star-driven link. No more. Despite SAS’s alliance shift, that carrier still plans to serve Newark (rather than New York JFK) six times weekly on the A330-300. While it runs year-round to the New Jersey hub, United has a very peak-season service, usually only for three months.
