United adds 3 new Chicago routes to boost connectivity at O'Hare hub
United Airlines seems like it's serious about rebuilding domestic connectivity from key hubs.
The Chicago-based airline showed its hometown some love over the weekend by adding three new routes from the city's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
The three new routes offer service from ORD to Billings, Montana; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Ontario, California.
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Daily flights to Billings take off May 22 and will operate seasonally through Oct. 25. United Express partner SkyWest Airlines will deploy an Embraer E175 regional jet on the route. SkyWest will also operate the new Halifax route using an Embraer E175. This flight will commence May 24 and will operate exclusively on Saturdays through September.
Finally, year-round daily flights to Ontario will launch May 22 on board a mainline 166-seat Boeing 737-800.
Of the three "new" routes, the one that is truly new is service from Chicago to Ontario. (The other two routes are technically resumptions since they were both operated in 2019 before the pandemic started.)
Suffice it to say, Ontario International Airport (ONT) officials are excited about the new nonstop flight to O'Hare, as no other airline operates flights from Ontario to ORD yet. Southwest Airlines connects ONT with its operating base at Chicago's Midway International Airport (MDW), but United's new nonstop will offer flyers hundreds of domestic and international connections beyond the Windy City.
“We are thrilled that United has chosen to add service from Ontario to its home base in Chicago, which will become our airport’s 27th nonstop destination. United’s O’Hare service will enable Ontario passengers to travel nearly anywhere across the globe via one of the world’s busiest airports. Providing more options to reach more destinations is what we’re all about," said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority Board of Airport Commissioners, in a statement.
Interestingly, American Airlines also operates a hub at ORD, and it tried flying from O'Hare to Ontario back in 2021. Those flights have since been canceled, so it'll be interesting to see how United's new nonstop flight fares.
Meanwhile, American just announced in December that it, too, would commence service from Chicago to Halifax. According to Cirium, American has been flying from Chicago to Billings since 2021, so the new United flight will also increase competition on that route.
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Whether United's move escalates into a turf war might be up for debate, but the increased competition will certainly benefit passengers.
All the new flights also come as the airline has been focused in recent months on rebuilding domestic connectivity. Since the pandemic started, United has exited a whopping 41 U.S. cities and slashed a slew of U.S. routes, according to data from aviation consulting firm Ailevon Pacific.
Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, just told investors on its fourth-quarter earnings call that the bleeding may be ending. Nocella says reworking schedules to allow more connections in Chicago, Denver and Houston is now a priority.
"Our hubs are fantastic, but they lack the same level of connectivity that we see at some of our larger [other airline] competitor hubs. And so we're going to be able to close that gap materially in 2025, which I think is going to be really good for our relative RASM results as we go forward," said Nocella, using airline vernacular for "revenue per available seat mile" — a common industry measure of financial performance.
Related reading:
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- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
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| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
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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)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- 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.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $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.