Turf war: United defends DC hub against yet another new rival
United Airlines is serious about defending its position in one of its key East Coast hubs.
Over the weekend, the carrier filed plans to begin a new seasonal route from its hub at Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington to Calgary International Airport (YYC), as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
The new 1,951-mile route will begin on June 2 and operate daily through Sept. 28 aboard a 126-seat Airbus A319, which features 12 first-class recliners, 36 extra-legroom economy plus seats and 78 standard economy seats.
It's possible that United's network planning department had been considering this new route from Dulles. However, it's likely no coincidence that the team filed the plans just four days after WestJet, a Canadian low-cost carrier, announced its own intention to fly from Dulles to Calgary.
As part of a broader transborder network update, WestJet unveiled plans to launch the first-ever service from the Washington, D.C., area to Calgary, Alberta. WestJet's new service will also launch on — you guessed it — June 2, but it'll be operated just three times a week through October 2023.
Calgary is set to become the 60th international destination from Dulles, and WestJet will become the airport's 40th airline. Although the airport and local authorities might celebrate the new WestJet service, United is coming in to defend its hub from this new competitor.
Going from zero to up to 300 daily seats in the market should certainly bring low fares and healthy competition for customers headed to or from Calgary.
In addition to daily flights, United customers will also have plenty of one-stop connecting options for itineraries beyond Dulles.
WestJet's network beyond Calgary also includes plenty of intra-Canada routes, as well as a few long-haul services, such as Tokyo, London and Paris (though it wouldn't necessarily make sense for someone to backtrack from Dulles to Calgary to Europe).
This isn't the first time that United has defended its home turf from a new entrant. In fact, earlier this month, United put its biggest jet on a new fourth-daily flight from Dulles to San Diego International Airport (SAN), just days after Alaska Airlines announced plans to commence once-daily service in the market.
United has enjoyed a monopoly on the 2,253-mile IAD-to-SAN route since Southwest dropped the market in March 2016, Cirium schedules show. Without any competition on the nonstop, United had strong pricing power on the route for more than six years.
With new competing services from Alaska and WestJet, it seems United isn't going to watch from the sidelines. Instead, the airline is going with a full-court press against both carriers. Whether the market can support all this additional service is anyone's guess, but it'll certainly be interesting to watch how it plays out.
In addition to Dulles, WestJet also announced new services from Calgary to two Delta hubs: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
While United is putting up a fight at Dulles, don't expect Delta to retaliate in the Upper Midwest. That's because the Atlanta-based carrier has a longstanding partnership with WestJet, which now includes reciprocal mileage earning and elite benefits.
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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
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- 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.
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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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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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)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.