United Airlines announced today its Summer 2026 schedule, revealing a significant expansion of its international network with new nonstop flights to four unique European destinations. The new routes are from Newark/New York (EWR) to Split, Croatia; Bari, Italy; Glasgow, Scotland; and Santiago de Compostela, Spain, reinforcing United’s position as the largest U.S. carrier across the Atlantic.

The announcement also includes new services to Iceland and South Korea, plus an increased frequency to Tel Aviv, offering MileagePlus members exciting new ways to earn and redeem their miles.

United’s New Summer 2026 Transatlantic Routes

The core of the expansion focuses on adding exclusive, nonstop service to trendsetting destinations that no other U.S. airline serves. These new routes provide seamless access to rich historical sites, stunning coastlines, and vibrant cultural hubs.

Here’s a breakdown of the new flights launching from Newark/New York (EWR):

Route Start Date Frequency Aircraft Key Highlight
🇺🇸 Newark (EWR) to 🇭🇷 Split (SPU) April 30, 2026 3x weekly Boeing 767-300ER Only nonstop from the U.S. to the Dalmatian Coast.
🇺🇸 Newark (EWR) to 🇮🇹 Bari (BRI) May 1, 2026 4x weekly Boeing 767-300ER Only nonstop U.S. flight to Italy’s Puglia region.
🇺🇸 Newark (EWR) to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Glasgow (GLA) May 8, 2026 Daily Boeing 737-MAX8 Only nonstop service from the U.S. to Scotland’s largest city.
🇺🇸 Newark (EWR) to 🇪🇸 Santiago (SDC) May 22, 2026 3x weekly Boeing 737-MAX8 First-ever scheduled service from the U.S.

More New and Expanded Routes

Beyond the four new European cities, United is also strengthening its network in other key international markets:

Route Start Date Details Aircraft
🇺🇸 Washington (IAD) to 🇮🇸 Reykjavik (KEF) May 21, 2026 New daily service, featuring lie-flat Polaris business class seats. Boeing 757-200
🇺🇸 Newark (EWR) to 🇰🇷 Seoul (ICN) September 4, 2026 New year-round daily service from the East Coast. Boeing 787-9
🇺🇸 Newark (EWR) to 🇮🇱 Tel Aviv (TLV) March 28, 2026 Third flight added (4x weekly), increasing total to 18 weekly flights. Boeing 787-9

These additions create fantastic new opportunities for award redemptions, especially the Polaris-equipped flights to Iceland and the new year-round service to Seoul.

Launch Timeline

  • March 28, 2026: Additional service from Newark (EWR) to Tel Aviv (TLV) begins.
  • April 30, 2026: Inaugural flight from Newark (EWR) to Split (SPU).
  • May 1, 2026: Inaugural flight from Newark (EWR) to Bari (BRI).
  • May 8, 2026: Inaugural flight from Newark (EWR) to Glasgow (GLA).
  • May 21, 2026: Inaugural flight from Washington (IAD) to Reykjavik (KEF).
  • May 22, 2026: Inaugural flight from Newark (EWR) to Santiago de Compostela (SDC).
  • September 4, 2026: Inaugural flight from Newark (EWR) to Seoul (ICN).

This expansion is great news for MileagePlus members, opening up more of the world for both earning and redeeming miles.

How to Book These New Routes with MileagePlus Miles

Finding award availability on brand-new routes can be competitive, but AwardFares makes it easy to spot seats the moment they are released. Here’s how to search for these flights.

1. Go to AwardFares

Creating an account is optional, but it’s also free, and it gives you access to more features. Make sure to sign up for one here.

2. Select the Frequent Flyer Program

In the Frequent Flyer Program picker, select United MileagePlus.

Select United MileagePlus in AwardFares to find the best United awards.

3. Add a Route(s)

In the From and To fields, enter your departure and arrival airports. In the example below, we search for flights between San Francisco (SFO) and London (LHR).

Select the origin and destination city to search for United award flights.

4. Explore Travel Dates

If you have a particular date in mind, tap on Calendar to add it.

Select the desired date to find United Award Flights.

AwardFares will start searching for available seats on flights that day, and show the results in a list below.

Search results for award flights on AwardFares (List View).

Alternatively, use the Timeline View to check availability across multiple days at the same time. This is the fastest way to see which dates have Saver availability without clicking day by day on United’s site.

Search results for award flights on AwardFares (Timeline View).

5. Sort by Price

On the result list, tap on the header columns (Eco, Prem, Biz, First) to sort the results by price and find the cheapest awards instantly.

Sort United Awards by price to find the cheapest business class seats.

6. Filter for Saver Awards

Use the quick toggle to exclude non-saver awards. This is the most crucial step to ensure you are only seeing the most economical options.

How to find the best United MileagePlus saver awards using the filter.

7. Exclude Mixed Cabins (Optional)

Tap on Exclude Mixed: No Mixed Cabins to filter out itineraries that combine premium and economy cabins on different legs of the journey.

Exclude mixed cabins when searching for United Polaris business class.

8. Book on United’s website

Once you find your desired flight, click the Book button to be redirected to United’s website to finalize your booking.

AwardFares redirects you to United

Find New United Awards on AwardFares

Ready to explore Europe or Asia with your MileagePlus miles? AwardFares is your best tool for finding award availability on these exciting new United routes.

  • ✈️ Search for new nonstop flights to Split, Bari, Glasgow, and more
  • 📆 Use the Timeline view to quickly pinpoint award seat availability
  • 🗺 Browse real-time seat maps on United’s 767, 737-MAX, and Dreamliner aircraft
  • 🔔 Set up alerts to be notified the moment award seats on your dream route become available