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United Airlines Adds 9 Special Point-to-Point Routes for College Football

June 20, 2019
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4 min read
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United Airlines Adds 9 Special Point-to-Point Routes for College Football
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Want to fly nonstop between Atlanta and South Bend, Indiana, on United Airlines? Or how about between Dallas/Fort Worth and Eugene, Oregon?

United will offer those and seven other special routes this fall as part of an ambitious special schedule to court travelers flying to see college football games.

Overall, United is adding nine temporary point-to-point routes (full list below) and about 10,000 additional seats on existing routes to airports near college football hot spots.

“It’s exciting for football fans and even more exciting for United to be able to operate nonstop flights between these communities for the very first time," Ankit Gupta, United’s vice president of Domestic Network Planning, said in a statement announcing the service.

The increased capacity will only be temporary, with United only adding seats to select routes around big games.

Related: The 8 Best Credit Cards for Flying United

For example, United says it will add extra flights to its schedule between Washington Dulles and Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina, on the days before and after Saturday, Oct. 26. That’s to help accommodate the extra connecting traffic from passengers looking to fly on United to the Boston College-Clemson game on that day.

On other routes, United will swap in bigger planes to cities hosting big games. One such route will be United’s service between Eugene, Oregon, and Los Angeles. The airline plans to move bigger planes onto those flights on the days before and after the Oregon-USC showdown in Los Angeles.

This marks the second year in a row that United has bolstered its schedule to accommodate passengers traveling to college football games. Last year, the airline said it added more than 200,000 seats to college football locales like State College, Pennsylvania; South Bend, Indiana; and Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina.

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Scroll down to see all nine of the special one-time-only routes United is adding for the 2019 college football season.

Eugene, Oregon, to Dallas Fort Worth

Game: Auburn vs. Oregon

Gameday: Aug. 31, played in Arlington, Texas

Outbound is Aug. 30; return is Sept. 2

Aircraft: Boeing 737-900

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Austin, Texas

Game: LSU at Texas

Gameday: Sept. 7, played at University of Texas

Outbound is Sept. 6; return is Sept. 8

Aircraft: Boeing 737-900

Related: The Best Credit Cards for Airline Lounge Access

Birmingham, Alabama, to Columbia, South Carolina

Game: Alabama at South Carolina

Gameday: Sept. 14, played at University of South Carolina

Outbound is Sept. 13; return is Sept. 15

Aircraft: Embraer regional jet (unspecified)

South Bend, Indiana, to Atlanta

Game: Notre Dame at Georgia

Gameday: Sept. 21, played at University of Georgia in Athens

Outbound is Sept. 20; return is Sept. 22

Aircraft: Embraer E175

Columbus, Ohio, to Lincoln, Nebraska

Game: Ohio State at Nebraska

Gameday: Sept. 28, played at University of Nebraska

Outbound is Sept. 27; return is Sept. 29

Aircraft: Embraer E175

Birmingham, Alabama, to College Station, Texas

Game: Alabama at Texas A&M

Gameday: Oct. 12, played at Texas A&M University

Outbound is Oct. 11; return is Oct. 13

Aircraft: Boeing 737-900

Los Angeles to South Bend, Indiana

Game: USC at Notre Dame

Gameday: Oct. 12, played at University of Notre Dame

Outbound is Oct. 11; return is Oct. 13

Aircraft: Boeing 737-900

Madison, Wisconsin, to Columbus, Ohio

Game: Wisconsin at Ohio State

Gameday: Oct. 26, played at Ohio State University

Outbound is Oct. 25; return is Oct. 27

Aircraft: Boeing 737-900

South Bend, Indiana, to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina

Game: Notre Dame at Duke

Gameday: Nov. 9, played at Duke University in Durham

Outbound is Nov. 8; return is Nov. 10

Aircraft: Embraer E175

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.