United Airlines announced that they would be adding three new routes from their San Francisco hub starting next year. The new destinations that they will serve include Auckland, Tel Aviv, and Xi’An.

Here’s what the airline has to say about the new service:

United Airlines, the U.S. airline with the most comprehensive route network and the most trans-Pacific service, will further expand its global reach with new nonstop service from San Francisco to:

• Tel Aviv, Israel, with service three times each week beginning March 30, 2016;
• Auckland, New Zealand, with service three times each week beginning July 1, 2016, expanding to daily service in October; and
• Xi’an, China, previously announced, three-times-weekly service beginning May 8, 2016, for the summer season.

Each new service is subject to government approval.

The airline intends to operate the new flights with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world’s most advanced passenger airplane.

The Tel Aviv and Xi’an flights will be available for booking on united.com on October 10, 2015, with the Auckland flights available for booking on October 17, 2015.

San Francisco–Tel Aviv: Linking High-Tech Markets

As part of United’s evaluation for serving San Francisco (SFO) to Tel Aviv (TLV) nonstop, the airline considered the opinions of thousands of customers who petitioned for the service through the SFOTLV.ORG petition effort.

“Providing corporate customers from throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley nonstop service to the high-tech market in Israel has been high on our priority list at United,” said Dave Hilfman, United’s senior vice president of worldwide sales. “Now with the 787-9 Dreamliner, we’re delighted to make it a reality.”

Flight times will be 14 hours, 10 minutes eastbound and 15 hours, 5 minutes westbound.

United has served Israel since 1999.  The airline currently offers twice-daily Boeing 777 nonstop flights between Tel Avivand New York/Newark.

San Francisco–Auckland

United’s three-times weekly service to Auckland (AKL), New Zealand’s largest city and main transportation hub to other points throughout the country, will launch July 1, 2016, with 787-8 aircraft. The schedule will expand to daily flights operating with 787-9 aircraft on Oct. 28, 2016, in time for the peak-winter travel season.         

The Auckland flights will operate in partnership with United’s Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand.   

Flight times will be 13 hours, 10 minutes westbound and 12 hours, 20 minutes eastbound.

Bottom Line

I think the most interesting route from this announcement is the new service between San Francisco and Tel Aviv, and it will be interesting to see how these routes do once they begin.

What are your thoughts on this latest announcement from United?