United to launch A321XLR flights on five new international routes in 2027

United Airlines has announced 10 new international city pairs for 2027. Half of them will use the airline's incoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

The carrier said it would begin domestic flights with the new long-range narrowbody in September, ahead of international deployment next year, subject to regulatory approval. Daily A321XLR service is planned from Newark to Luxembourg City and from Washington Dulles to Toulouse starting in April 2027. Flights from Newark to Ibiza, Valencia and Marseille are due to follow in May and June.

The remaining five routes will use other aircraft types. United plans thrice-weekly San Francisco to Okinawa service with Boeing 777-200ERs from late March. Newark flights to Ljubljana, Olbia and Catania will use 767s starting in May. A three-times-weekly Newark to Terceira route in the Azores is set to begin in June with 737 Max 8 aircraft.

According to the airline, the A321XLRs will seat 150 passengers, including 20 Polaris business-class suites with privacy doors and 12 Premium Plus seats. United had previously sought an exemption from the US Federal Aviation Administration to install the enclosed business-class suites. A rival carrier already offers that configuration on its own A321XLRs.

United said it would be the sole US carrier flying nonstop on eight of the ten new routes. The airline also plans to add flights from additional US cities to three existing international destinations in 2027: Los Angeles to Osaka, Washington Dulles to Milan, and Denver to Paris.