United Airlines used to partner with Emirates, and after a period of time trying to convince the U.S. government to keep Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways out of U.S. markets they’ve rekindled the love. They’re re-launching their Emirates partnership.
That’s also kicking off some re-shuffling of partnerships in the Gulf. JetBlue is losing its partnership with Emirates and building up its partnership with Etihad, based a mere 72 miles away from Dubai in Abu Dhabi. (American Airlines has built a much closer relationship with Qatar Airways, and still partners with Etihad as well.)
This new United – Emirates partnership isn’t just about providing connecting feed to Emirates flights in the United States – bringing passengers to and from Emirates gateways for travel to Dubai and beyond to the Mideast, India and South Asia, and Africa – but is also going to be about providing connectivity for United beyond Dubai.
That’s right, United will be launching daily Dubai service on March 27, 2023.
Here’s the schedule operated by a United Airlines Boeing 777-200:
- Newark – Dubai, 10:15 p.m. – 7:40 p.m.+1
Dubai – Newark, 2:15 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.
This is more news seen first from aviation watchdog JonNYC
UA, whoa:
United to launch EWR-DXB on 27 March 2023. Daily flights
UA164 EWR 2215-1940+1 DXB
UA163 DXB 0215-0905 EWRB777-200
— 🇺🇦 JonNYC 🇺🇦 (@xJonNYC) September 14, 2022
United used to fly Washington Dulles – Dubai but ended that service six years ago. It makes no sense to operate two DC – Dubai flights (Emirates flies the route, and there’s also Etihad and Qatar service from Dulles as well). Newark should make more sense for United, especially with connections beyond Dubai offered by Emirates.
unless UAL dramatically improves the soft-product offerings in Polaris (e.g. food, beverage, slippers/pajamas), I have no reason to take them…and I’m a 1K.
History repeats itself as Delta once again left out in the cold. Someone once posted here that SkyTeam is the BigLots of airline alliances and it’s so true. Instead of doing something proactive and sane like a tie-in with a ME3 carrier Delta will probably buy 50% of Kuwait Airlines or pick up scraps with what’s left of Etihad. They just don’t think right.
united soft product suc
oh great – more 777’s getting pulled from domestic flights (yes, looking at 737-max to Hawaii)…..
the DOT has released airline profitability data for the 2nd quarter of 2022 which shows that United lost money flying both the Atlantic and to Latin America but managed to generate a small profit flying the Pacific.
It is obvious that United’s aggressive regrowth of its international network has not been profitable and yet they continue to add new routes.
The real reason for an interest in Emirates is very likely to develop a way to economically serve India given that Russian airspace sanctions are not going away any time soon.
UA cannot launch a number of routes to India that it wants to fly but it also is undoubtedly seeing its profits fall as it adds an hour plus to every flight to/from India.
Instead of showing Polaris seats, how about the 10 across in economy and the poor bastards who have to endure that for 15 hours.
@David – EK is also 10 across and has middle seats in business class.
That will be the day when I opt to go to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha or anywhere else on United when I have the option of Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways.
I made the mistake once of choosing United for a flight home from the Far East when I could have picked Singapore Airlines…miserable experience, not gonna get me on that one again.