United Airlines to Launch Four New Short-Haul Routes
by Krish Patel
United Airlines is expanding its regional route network with the introduction of four new domestic routes. Recently, the Star Alliance carrier filed plans to launch service from their hubs in Chicago (ORD) and Washington D.C. (IAD) in the city’s metro area.
Starting on December 3, 2024, UAL will commence service from IAD to South Bend (SBN), Indiana. Republic Airways, a partner of United Express, will operate the E175 on the two hour flight.
Not long after the service to SBN commences, SkyWest Airlines DBA United Express will launch flights to Morgantown (MGW), West Virginia, from both IAD and ORD using a CRJ-200 (one of the smallest planes in the fleet) that seats 50 passengers in an all-Economy Class configuration. Both routes begin December 13, 2024. Morgantown is a new destination for the United Airlines network, which hasn’t been served since September 2014.
From February 15, 2025, SkyWest will also operate a once-weekly service on Saturdays from Chicago O’Hare to Crested Butte (GUC) on the E175.
The new regional flights operated by United Express will allow travelers from smaller cities to connect through major hubs in just one stop. Anticipating any new route to launch is very exciting, especially if it allows travelers to travel in less time, which is the case with these new services.