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United is bringing back its new flagship Hawaii route next summer
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
Oct. 19, 2021
•
3 min read
United is bringing back its new flagship Hawaii route next summer
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United is embracing the island spirit next summer with renewed service on its flagship Hawaii route.
Over the weekend, the Chicago-based carrier extended the schedule for its newest long-haul route between Newark (EWR) and Maui (OGG). The nearly 11-hour flight will now operate between May 7, 2022, and Sept. 4, 2022, on up to five weekly frequencies.
The schedule extension was first seen in Cirium timetables and later confirmed by the airline with the following statement.
We know many customers enjoy Hawaiian vacations in the summer, and we're happy to bring back our New York/Newark to Maui flight next summer.
This move is the latest in a series of boosts for the new United flight that first took off just four months ago on June 3.
In the weeks after unveiling the route in September 2020, the airline quickly increased the frequency and extended the schedule.
It then upgauged the route with its swankiest jet, the "high-J" configuration of the Boeing 767-300ER, which features a whopping 46 Polaris pods, a 22-seat Premium Plus cabin and just 99 coach seats.
Though the airline had first launched this market as a pandemic-era move to capture strong leisure demand, it seems that the airline has hit a home run with the 4,903-mile route. Assuming that demand continues at a strong pace, this new flight could become permanent, even after the pandemic subsides.
In addition to extending the schedule for the Newark to Maui route, United is also bringing back daily service between Washington Dulles (IAD) and Honolulu (HNL) this summer between June 3, 2022, and Sept. 6, 2022.
The airline had originally planned for once-weekly flights during the peak summer season, but that's now been restored to daily service, which mirrors the airline's summer schedule from before the pandemic.
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The additional Hawaii flights are the latest in a big growth spurt for United's long-haul network.
Last week, the carrier unveiled its largest-ever transatlantic expansion, with eight routes to five new destinations.
Additionally, the airline's three limited-time long-haul routes that were first launched last summer to destinations open to vaccinated Americans (Croatia, Greece and Iceland) are coming back for another season.
With all these successful new routes, it's perhaps no surprise that Ankit Gupta and Patrick Quayle, United's two senior vice presidents in charge of the network, both received promotions earlier this month.
Gupta "has helped us execute network strategies that would ordinarily take years to develop in a matter of months," while Quayle "continues to reshape our network in the midst of a radically different demand environment, making the most of rapidly changing economic and passenger trends," wrote Andrew Nocella, the airline's chief commercial officer, in a statement announcing the promotions.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
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Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.Pros
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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.