by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:10 AM ET, Tue April 18, 2023
United Airlines plane. (photo via United Airlines Media)
United
Airlines announced the largest South Pacific network expansion ever to and
from the continental United States, including the first non-stop flight between
San Francisco and Christchurch.
United’s first non-stop flight between San Francisco and
Christchurch debuts on December 1, with the three-times-weekly service taking place
on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The carrier is also adding four weekly flights
from Los Angeles to Auckland, starting October 28.
The airline is adding three weekly flights between Los
Angles and Brisbane on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, starting on November 29, and daily
flights between San Francisco and Brisbane, beginning on October 28.
United will fly twice daily between San Francisco and Sydney
on Boeing 777-300ERs, starting October 28. On the same day, the carrier will
also deploy its largest airplane on flights between San Francisco and Melbourne,
adding nearly 100 daily seats to each departure.
“This past winter, United enhanced our network and became
the largest carrier to the South Pacific region,” Senior Vice President Patrick
Quayle said. “Now, this upcoming winter, we will expand even further.”
“Our strong partnerships with Air New Zealand and Virgin
Australia provide unparalleled connectivity, and with our historic expansion
across five destinations in New Zealand and Australia, United is the clear
choice for customers' travel to the region,” Quayle continued.
The carrier already offers service to more destinations in
Australia and New Zealand than all other American airlines combined, and will
now fly to more destinations in the region from the U.S. than any other carrier
in the world.
With 66 flights between the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand
every week, the airline will operate nearly 40 percent more flights between the
destinations in 2023 than last year.
Tickets for the new flights are now on sale through United’s
official website.
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