United unveils 10 new domestic, international routes

United Airlines announced 10 new routes today in a move that will expand the carrier's route map at five of its eight hubs on the U.S. mainland. The new routes include flights to Latin America and Canada as well as domestic ones.

The newly announced service includes flights operated by both United and its regional partners.

"The addition of these new routes further improves United's already industry-leading network," Grant Whitney, United's managing director of scheduling, says in a release. "By launching new destinations and additional flights to currently-served points, we provide more convenience and options for travelers."

A breakdown of the new routes:

Latin America
United announced routes to both Guatemala City and San Jose, Costa Rica. The airline will begin flying to both cities with year-round service from its hub at Washington Dulles on April 13. Year-round service between Chicago O'Hare and San Jose will start the same date.

All three routes, which are pending government approval, will be flown with Boeing 737-800 jets configured with 16 business-class seats, 48 in Economy Plus and 90 seats in standard coach.

United says the new routes will complement its existing service to Guatemala City and San Jose from its hubs at Newark and Houston.

Canada
United will add a fifth route to Edmonton, Alberta, when it begins flights from Newark on May 1. United will fly the route six times a week on Airbus A319 jets that are laid out with eight first-class seats, 40 in Economy Plus and 72 in its traditional coach section.

United already flies to Edmonton from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, and San Francisco.

To Vancouver, United will add a sixth route — Washington Dulles — that will begin on June 8. The seasonal service will operate Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 25 on Boeing 737-800 jets.

United already offers year-round service to Vancouver year-round from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco and seasonally from its Newark hub.

And, on June 6, United will add nonstop service between Denver and the community of Fort McMurray in Alberta's far-north. United, which says it will have only nonstop service between the cities, will use regional affiliate SkyWest to fly the route on 66-seat Canadair CRJ-700 regional jets.

United says Fort McMurray will be its 18th destination in Canada, adding it "offers more flights to more destinations in Canada than any other U.S. airline."

U.S. routes
United also announced plans to add domestic routes from four of its mainland hubs.

• From Chicago O'Hare, United will start daily service to Fairbanks, Alaska, on June 6. The airline will use Boeing 737-80 jets on the route. Chicago is the second United hub with service to Fairbanks, following the addition of flights from Denver earlier this year.

• From Denver, United Express affiliate ExpressJet will begin twice-daily service to the New Mexico capital of Santa Fe on May 1. ExpressJet will fly the route with 50-seat Embraer regional jet aircraft.

• From Los Angeles, United Express affiliate SkyWest will begin daily service to Wichita on May 1. SkyWest will operate the route with 66-seat Canadair CRJ-700 regional jets. United also serves Wichita from its hubs in Chicago, Denver and Houston.

• From Washington Dulles, United Express affiliate ExpressJet will add daily nonstop service to Grand Rapids, Mich., on May 1. ExpressJet will operate the flights with 50-seat Embraer regional jet aircraft. United already serves Grand Rapids from its hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Houston and Newark.

United says the new flights are consistent with its previously announced capacity guidance.