United Airlines has announced its intent to expand some of its Asian pacific options. The airline will be adding new flights to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, Bangkok in Thailand, and Adelaide in Australia.
This is significant because United Airlines is the only American air carrier to offer flights to Adelaide, Ho Chi Minh, and Bangkok. United added these 3 routes to their network to address the growing demand for these destinations amongst its customer base.
U.S to Bangkok
The route pairing to Bangkok will start in October. This route will be flown a bit differently from the standard nonstop route. Starting from Los Angeles or San Francisco, the flight will fly across the Pacific Ocean to Hong Kong. Then from Hong Kong it’ll go to Bangkok. The flight to Bangkok will be flown with United’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.
United once flew this route before. It was last offered in 2014, when there was a flight between Los Angeles – Tokyo, and then Bangkok.
U.S to Ho Chi Minh
The flight to Ho Chi Minh, just like the Bangkok service, will begin in October. This route will follow the same steps as the Bangkok route. First there will be a stop in Hong Kong, then a continuation to Ho Chi Minh. United will also be using their Boeing 787 Dreamliners on this route pairing.
This route was also once offered by United but was cut from service in 2016.
U.S to Adelaide
Solidifying its position as the dominant U.S air carrier offering flights to Australia, United’s service to Adelaide will begin in December. This route pairing will be flown three times weekly from San Francisco International Airport. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be the aircraft of choice for this route.
United’s Far East Strategy
The main strategy of United recently has been to fly to underserved destinations. The airline has been adding “outside the box” routes to destinations like Nuuk in Greenland, and Bilbao, Spain.
These new route announcements seem to be following that norm.
In a quote given to Travel and Leisure by Patrick Quayle, United’s Vice President of Global Network, “At United, we’re changing the way people think about where they travel—by offering the greatest access to see and explore the world, whether it’s for relaxation, adventure or business,”.
He also mentioned that the popularity of the HBO show “White Lotus”, whose third season takes place in Thailand contributed to the increased travel demand and United’s decision to begin offering flights to that region.
What Does This Mean For United Customers?
New Opportunities in New Asian Markets for Americans
It’s safe to say United is the dominant American air carrier in the region with this inclusion of new routes in Australia, Vietnam and Thailand. The competing Delta Air Lines and American Airlines service to Asian is no match for what United offers. They are coming after the Fiji Airways‘ and Air New Zealand‘s of the world.
It’s pretty nice that United puts an emphasis on the market for travel to Asia. There is a large market for vacation destinations throughout Asia and Oceania. But with the inclusion of Thailand, Vietnam, and an alternative Australian city, United Airlines is helping bridge that gap between the United States and the Far East. A region which other American Air Carriers tend to neglect.
A Deviation From The Norm for United?
While United is offering destinations in the Far East that typically aren’t the norm, this is business as usual for United especially recently. Already mentioned, they have been offering flights to alternative European destinations in Greenland and Spain. But they have historically offered flights to places throughout the Pacific like Guam. They also fly to Chengdu in China.
But, with these new route inclusions, the norm being broken here is the expectation of having nonstop flights across the Pacific. While yes, it’s nice to offer nonstop flights when you can. But, United seems to be testing the water with the routes to see if they drum up enough business.
While San Francisco or Los Angeles to Hong Kong can be lucrative, the demand for travel to Vietnam or Thailand is questionable. It can be assumed that United needs to lock down a fair share of United Polaris seats or premium class fares to make these routes profitable. Only time will tell whether these routes are successful or not.
Sources
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/united-airlines-thailand-vietnam-adelaide-australia-flights.html
https://onemileatatime.com/news/united-airlines-adelaide-bangkok-ho-chi-minh-city-flights/
