United Airlines (UA) has announced a significant expansion of nonstop service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, for the Summer 2026 schedule, with the expansion including multiple year‑round and seasonal nonstop routes that will begin operation in early 2026, increasing connectivity between LAX and underserved U.S. markets, reported Live and Let’s Fly.
New Nonstop Routes from LAX
United, which is the world’s largest airlines by fleet size, has announced that it will have several new nonstop routes from LAX, some launching as early as March 29, 2026. These routes are aimed at enhancing connectivity with mid‑sized U.S. cities that historically lacked direct service from Los Angeles:
| Route | Start Date | Frequency | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX to John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) | March 29, 2026 | Daily | Year‑round |
| LAX to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) | March 29, 2026 | Daily | Year‑round |
| LAX to Kansas City International Airport (MCI) | April 6, 2026 | Daily | Year‑round |
| LAX to Portland International Jetport (PWM) | June 27, 2026 | Saturdays only | Seasonal |
According to data from flightconnections.com, American Airlines (AA) is the sole operator of non-stop flights on two routes that United has announced it will operate: LAX-CMH and LAX-PIT. AA operates its Boeing 737-800 on these two routes. According to flightroutes.com, United is the only carrier, at least for now, that will operate on the LAX-PWM.
Currently, there are two operators on the LAX-MCI route: Delta on its Airbus A319 and Southwest Airlines on its Boeing 737-800. With regards to the competition with these carriers, Live and Let’s Fly notes that:
” United’s LAX strategy has never been about matching American or Delta flight-for-flight. Instead, it has focused on carving out defensible niches and leveraging MileagePlus to keep high-value customers from defecting. These new routes should fit the model well. They are differentiated enough to avoid brutal fare wars, and well-suited to United’s fleet and network structure.”
Aircraft that United will Deploy on the New Routes from LAX
With these new nonstop routes at LAX, United might primarily employ narrow‑body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 family, which dominate its domestic network. After all, American Airlines uses the same, and so does Southwest. A report from Airline Geeks says so. According to data from planespotters.net, United has 141 aircraft of this type and these average 21.9 years.
United’s Additional Routes Besides the Ones From LAX
But in an Instagram post, Patrick Quayle, United’s SVP of Global Network Planning and Alliances, announced the introduction of the following routes:
| Origin City | Origin Airport (IATA) | Destination City | Destination Airport (IATA) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | Hartford, CT | Bradley International Airport (BDL) | Daily |
| Denver, CO | Denver International Airport (DEN) | Albany, NY | Albany International Airport (ALB) | Daily |
United Airlines’ Seasonal “summer weekend” routes
According to data published in FlyMag, United Airlines has also announced some seasonal routes. These are:
| Origin Airport | Destination Airport | Operating Pattern | Seasonal Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver International Airport (DEN) | Bangor International Airport (BGR) | Saturdays only | June 27 – Sept. 5 |
| Denver International Airport (DEN) | Chattanooga Airport (CHA) | Saturdays only | May 23 – Aug. 8 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) | Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) | Saturdays only | May 23 – Sept. 19 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) | Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) | Saturdays only | May 23 – Oct. 24 |
| George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | Spokane International Airport (GEG) | Saturdays only | May 23 – Aug. 8 |
| George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | Burlington International Airport (BTV) | Saturdays only | May 23 – Aug. 8 |
| San Francisco International Airport (SFO) | Portland International Jetport (PWM) | Saturdays only | June 27 – Sept. 19 |
| Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) | Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD) | Fri ORD→COD / Sat COD→ORD | May 22 – Sept. 19 |
These routes are set to be operated on United’s E175s. 
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