United Airlines to enter New York-Washington shuttle fray
United Airlines is the new clocker between New York and Washington this spring, when it launches an hourly shuttle along the busy Northeast Corridor.
The Star Alliance carrier will offer departures on the hour, nearly every hour from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Newark Liberty (EWR) and Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) airports beginning March 29, United said Friday. The Bombardier CRJ550, a 50-seat regional jet with 10 first-class seats, will operate 10 flights, and the Embraer E175 the remaining three frequencies.
Sarah Murphy, senior vice president of United Express at the airline, said the new hourly schedule is in response to customer demand for more frequent and comfortable flights in the market.
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United currently operates up to nine flights a day between Newark and Washington National, Cirium schedule data shows. The majority of those flights are operated with Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets, which have 50 seats in an all-economy layout.
The new shuttle means nearly 50% more seats overall between Newark and Washington National but, notably for business travelers and elite frequent fliers, a nearly four-fold jump in first class seats on the route.
In addition, United claims that several closets onboard the CRJ550 eliminate the need for passengers to gate-check bags — a nuisance many travelers dislike.
Related: United plans new New York-Washington shuttle amid growth spurt
United's new Newark-Washington shuttle schedule will not come without tradeoffs. The airline is sourcing the four slot pairs — one slot is needed for every takeoff or landing — necessary for the new flights by ending service between its former Cleveland (CLE) hub and Washington.
The change will leave American Airlines as the only airline flying nonstop between Cleveland and Washington National, Cirium schedules show.
In addition, operational challenges at Newark, particularly during the peak afternoon hours, could impact the reliability of United's new hourly operation.
United also faces stiff competition in the New York-Washington shuttle market. Amtrak offers its popular Acela service between New York's Penn Station and Washington Union Station, and American Airlines and Delta Air Lines fly shuttles between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Washington National airports.
In addition to schedule, American and Delta's shuttles offer some additional amenities, including dedicated airport check-in areas, and complimentary beer and wine inflight. American even offers rear-door deplaning to speed arrivals.
Related: Why does Washington’s Reagan National Airport have a ‘perimeter’?
United's new Newark-Washington schedule is not the first shuttle on the route. Continental Airlines, which merged with United in 2010, offered a shuttle on the route in the 1980s and 1990s. And New York Air and People Express both operated their own shuttles before they merged with Continental in 1987.
United plans to grow system capacity by 4-6% this year, executives have said. In addition to the new shuttle schedule, the carrier plans a number of other additions to its schedule including roughly 50 more departures at its Denver (DEN) hub, four new routes to Tokyo's close-to-downtown Haneda airport (HND), and at least five new routes from its Washington Dulles (IAD) hub.
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- 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.