Wednesday, January 21, 2026

United Launches Winter Service With Additional Daily Nonstops to International Cities, Including Manila, Philippines and Christchurch, New Zealand

This year, United Airlines introduced its expanded international winter schedule, featuring an impressive addition of 50 daily flights in comparison to the previous winter season. United has achieved the distinction of being the first U.S. carrier to offer non-stop flights from the continental U.S. to Manila, Philippines, and is set to be the exclusive airline connecting the U.S. with Christchurch, New Zealand, beginning in December.

United will make history by becoming the first U.S. airline to reestablish service to Beijing, with flights from San Francisco resuming on November 9. In total, the airline’s international network will encompass over 110 destinations, marking a substantial 25% expansion compared to the previous year, and representing the largest winter expansion in the airline’s history.

To meet the growing demand for international travel, United strategically expanded its network with new and increased flying to key markets this winter, including:

  • New service to Manila, Philippines and soon Christchurch, New Zealand
  • New flights to Auckland, Brisbane, Hong Kong, Tokyo/Narita, San Juan and Montego Bay
  • Daily service to Beijing and Shanghai
  • Extended service to Athens, Barcelona, Romeand Paris

“United’s industry-leading international network has always set it apart from the competition, and we continue to find new ways to bring our customers the locations and schedules that they want,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances. “This winter is no exception, as we further expand and deliver unparalleled connectivity around the globe.”

United is in the midst of the largest South Pacific expansion in aviation history, adding over 40% more flights between the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand for the winter season, compared to last year. This winter, United will operate 66 flights between the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand per week.

Key highlights include:

  • First and Only Non-Stop Flight between U.S-Christchurch: Starting December 8, United will be the only airline to offer direct flights between the U.S. and New Zealand’s South Island, with the first direct San Francisco-Christchurch service.
  • New Los Angeles-Auckland Service: On October 28, United launched its new Los Angeles-Auckland service, building on its position as the largest U.S. airline to serve Auckland.
  • New Los Angeles-Brisbane Service: On November 29, United will become the largest carrier between the U.S. and Brisbane with its new service from Los Angeles.

United also continues to rebuild its network in mainland China. On October 1, the airline increased its service to Shanghai with a daily flight from San Francisco, and will resume its daily San Francisco-Beijing flights on November 9.

Tickets are on sale now on United’s mobile app and on united.com.

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Amy Harris
Amy Harris is a writer and photographer who has been traveling for 20 years and flown over 2 million miles to visit over 80 countries on 6 continents. She is a freelance photographer for Invision by Associated Press, AP Images and Rex/Shutterstock. Her work can be seen in various publications and websites including: Rolling Stone, AP Images, National Geographic Books, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Forbes.com, Lonely Planet Travel Guides, JetStar magazine, and Delta Sky Magazine.

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