In 2025, United Airlines will launch new routes to under-served countries including Greenland, Senegal, Palau and Mongolia. Olivia Palamountain reports

United Airlines has unveiled plans for its “most extensive international expansion to date”, adding a host of under-appreciated “Beta” destinations to its global network for the summer of 2025.

The expansion includes five new nonstop flights from “Alpha” city New York (Newark) to destinations not currently served by any other US airline: Nuuk (Greenland), Palermo (Italy), Bilbao (Spain), Madeira Island (Portugal) and Faro (Portugal).

Additionally, United will launch three new routes from Washington DC/Dulles, including its first-ever flight to Dakar (Senegal), which will operate year-round, alongside seasonal nonstop flights to Nice (France) and Venice (Italy).

In a significant move to expand its Asian network, United will introduce direct flights from Tokyo-Narita to Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) and Kaohsiung (Taiwan), again reaching destinations no other US airline serves. A new nonstop flight to Koror (Palau) will also be added to the roster.

One of the reasons it has probably chosen Palau, a remote archipelago of over 500 islands in Micronesia, is that Four Seasons has launched a cruise there and will also be opening a hotel in the destination. You can learn more by listening to this episode of the Luxury Travel Edit podcast with Armando Kraenzlin, Four Seasons Regional vice president and general manager of the Four Seasons Resort Maldives.

Nearly half a million people have so far visited Mongolia in 2024, up 25% compared to 2023, as the country continues to trend as one of the top places to visit in Asia. Most of that increase has come from Europe, South Korea and Japan – and United’s new service from Tokyo/Narita flights will give Americans a new, easy way to visit.

Patrick Quayle, senior vice-president of global network planning and alliances at United, says: “No other airline gives customers nonstop access to as many unique international destinations and experiences from the US as United.”

The airline’s summer 2025 transatlantic schedule is set to be its largest ever, offering more than 760 weekly flights. United will also extend the seasons for some of its popular European routes, including earlier start dates for flights to Venice, Athens and Barcelona.

This expansion aligns with United’s recent “Good Leads The Way” brand advertising campaign, which highlights the airline’s extensive global network and the flexibility it offers to travellers.

The new routes tap into various travel trends, from adventure tourism in Mongolia and Greenland (as evidenced in Intrepid Travel’s 2025 “Not Hot List“, produced in association with Globetrender) to cultural experiences in Spain and Italy.Not Hot List 2025United’s expansion into Africa with the Dakar route is particularly noteworthy, as it makes United the US carrier with the most destinations on the continent.

In addition to these intercontinental routes, United is bolstering its presence in Mexico and Central America. The airline will become the first to connect the United States directly to Puerto Escondido, Mexico, with a weekly flight from Houston starting April 5, 2025.

All new flights are subject to government approval and will be available for booking through United’s website and mobile app. With these additions, United Airlines will offer 800 daily flights to and from 147 international destinations in the summer of 2025, including 40 routes that no other major US airline serves.