United just added a brand-new pin to its route map
Despite it only being January, United is gearing up for what'll hopefully be a much better and safer holiday season.
The Chicago-based carrier filed plans during the past weekend for two brand-new routes to Barbados, marking the first time the carrier has flown to the Caribbean nation under the United callsign.
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The new routes from the carrier's two Northeast hubs of Newark (EWR) and Washington/Dulles (IAD) will begin on Dec. 5, according to Cirium schedules and confirmed by the carrier. The flights will be operated by a 166-seat Boeing 737-800, sporting 16 business-class recliners and 150 economy seats.
For now, United plans to fly one weekly roundtrip on each route every Sunday. Should the routes prove successful, it's likely that the carrier would increase frequency.
The new flights are already on sale on United.com, with introductory one-way fares from $323 in coach and $558 in business. Award availability is sparse, but it will likely improve if — and when — the carrier loads cheaper paid fares.
Though Barbados is a new pin for United's route map, Cirium schedules show that Continental Airlines last flew to the island in January 2006. United and Continental merged four years later in October 2010.
Adding island and other "sun-and-fun" destinations has proven to be a popular strategy for United and its competitors during the pandemic. United recently boosted flights to Florida from its Denver hub, following other recent expansions to the Sunshine State from its other hub airports.
American and JetBlue have also boosted Florida flights, and the latter even launched new Caribbean flights to Nassau, Turks and Caicos, Punta Cana, and others during the pandemic.
United will face stiff competition from JetBlue when it launches Barbados flights. The New York-based carrier is scheduled to fly 105 flights from the Northeast to the Caribbean nation in December 2021: 97 from New York-JFK, four from Boston (BOS) and four from Newark (EWR).
More: Reopening soon? A country by country guide to coronavirus recovery
American Airlines is the only other U.S. carrier flying to Barbados, with a total of 98 non-stop flights from its Charlotte and Miami hubs scheduled for December 2021.
As such, with once-weekly flights, United is just dipping its toes into the new market, though it will become the only U.S. carrier to fly to Barbados from the Washington, D.C., area.
On July 12, 2020, Barbados officially reopened its borders to international travel with a mandatory COVID-19 PCR test taken no earlier than three days prior to departure.
United's new Barbados schedule is as follow, subject to local government approval:
- United Flight 388 Newark (EWR) — Bridgetown (BGI) 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
- United Flight 389 Bridgetown (BGI) — Newark (EWR) 3:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
- United Flight 390 Washington/Dulles (IAD) — Bridgetown (BGI) 8:15 a.m. - 2:05 p.m.
- United Flight 391 Bridgetown (BGI) — Washington/Dulles (IAD) 3:05 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees