United Airlines will serve four new European cities in summer 2026, including two coastal destinations in Croatia and Italy as well as new splashy new additions in Scotland and Spain, too.
The airline's Thursday announcement will add another six new nonstop routes across the Atlantic Ocean when they begin next spring, all but one from their megahub in Newark (EWR). Across the other pond, United is adding an ultra-long-haul flight to Seoul (ICN) from Newark, too.
Meanwhile, United is not cutting any previous additions – including the nine new routes it added this year to far-flung places like Greenland and Mongolia, the airline's Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances Patrick Quayle confirmed in a press call with reporters previewing the big news on Wednesday. However, Quayle acknowledged that it'll scale back flights from Newark (EWR) to both Athens (ATH) and Frankfurt (FRA) to just one flight a day next summer.
Nothing's more exciting than new routes: Not just to get to new destinations nonstop but because they often lead to some of the best deals in air travel – whether you're using cash or trying to redeem points. And no one goes bigger with these expansions than United.
Here's a closer look at everything on tap for next year.
Split, Croatia
- Newark (EWR) to Split (SPU) in Croatia
- Starting: April 30, 3x weekly
- Airplane: 767-300ER
United's nonstop flight from Newark (EWR) to Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV) must be going well, because the airline added new nonstop service to Split, Croatia (SPU) starting next summer, too.
United will be the first and only U.S. airline to fly nonstop to Split – a stunning coastal city north of Dubrovnik that often serves as a jumping off point for island hoppers and travelers who want to visit the island of Hvar.
Bari, Italy
- Newark (EWR) to Bari, Italy (BRI)
- Starting: May 1, 4x weekly
- Airplane: 767-300ER
My thoughts: United will also be the first and only U.S. airline to fly nonstop to Puglia with a flight into Bari (BRI). Little-known low-cost carrier Neos flies nonstop to Bari, but doesn't currently have the flight scheduled for 2026 as of publication.
Travelers can't get enough of Italy, so airlines keep adding flights – and not just to Rome (FCO) and Milan (MXP), but straight into smaller towns in Sicily, Sardinia, and beyond.
The southeastern coastal town of Bari is a super-attractive destination for travelers looking for something off the beaten path in Italy. Funnily enough, I'm actually trying to find Bari flights for May 2026 right now to visit Matera. Thanks, United!
Glasgow, Scotland
- Newark (EWR) to Glasgow, Scotland (GLA)
- Starting: May 8, Daily
- Airplane: 737 Max 8
This is a fascinating route from United, especially considering it's operating on a narrowbody airplane. That means no lie-flat seats and no long-haul frills – and most importantly for United, little to no risk.
If they can't fill a wide-body plane with 300-plus seats full of Glasgow-bound passengers in 2026, you might as well try one of your smaller fuel-efficient planes to do it instead. That's what
Even if it's less comfortable, this sure beats the heck out of connecting at London-Heathrow (LHR)!
Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Newark (EWR) to Santiago de Compostela (SCQ)
- Starting: May 22, 3x weekly
- Airplane: 737 Max 8
OK, raise your hand if you also didn't know where this was…
… now put your hand down and get familiar with me, because United knows exactly what it's doing here. Located in the northwest corner of Spain's Galacia region, this city is about to become well-known because the total solar eclipse is scheduled to roll through this area next August! Clearly, United wants to be the one to get you there.
Like Glasgow, this route is also using a smaller 737 Max 8, limiting United's risk by trying something new.
DC to Reyjavik, Iceland
- Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF)
- Starting May 21, Daily
- Airplane: 757-200
United must have like what they've seen from the service to Reykjavik from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) and Newark (EWR), because Dulles is now getting its own flight.
The 757-200 has lie-flat seats, too, making United the only carrier offering lie-flats between the two capitals.
The competition in this market is going to be fierce, as Icelandair has already been offering bargains between both Baltimore (BWI) and Dulles for years now. I'm talking roundtrip fares in the $300s!
It will be interesting to see if United tries to compete on price … or if it wants to be the “premium” option.
Seoul, South Korea
- Newark (EWR) to Seoul, South Korea (ICN)
- Starting: Sept. 4, Daily
- Airplane: 787-9
When this service begins late next summer, United will be the only U.S. airline to fly nonstop from the New York City area to Seoul. Air Premia, Asiana, and Korean all currently run those routes.
Tel Aviv, Israel
- Newark (EWR) to Tel Aviv (TLV)
- Starting: Mar. 28, 3x daily
- Airplane: 787-9
United boasted that it offers more service to Israel than any other airline, and they just solidified that with a third daily Tel Aviv (TLV) flight. Amid the Israel-Palestine conflict, the other airlines have been slow to resume service there. Not United.
Bottom Line
United has done it again with a splashy slate of new routes for next year, adding nonstop flights to off-the-beaten path destinations like Split in Croatia, Bari in Puglia, Glasgow, and Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.
