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Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is not showing any signs of slowing down as United Airlines announced plans to serve more than 160 destinations this fall and winter. This is more than any other airline operating in the New York City area. The expansion includes adding flights to highly sought-after international destinations like Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO), Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), and Dublin Airport (DUB), along with new domestic routes to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) (in direct response to Spirit pulling those airports), and additional service to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).
United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, celebrated the airline’s operational turnaround and outlined United’s ambitious plans for its premier East Coast hub, which plays a pivotal role in connecting passengers to the airline’s massive international network.
Record-Breaking Summer Performance
United achieved its best operational summer this year at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). This brought the airport’s performance on a par with New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). United flights out of Newark arrived on-time more frequently than flights operated by other airlines at the two NYC airports. More than six million passengers flew on-time with United through Newark, which set a new record for the airline. The airline’s Connection Saver technology helped 28,000+ customers make tight connections.
This all marked improvement followed a challenging spring when runway construction, technology outages, and air traffic control staffing shortages led to a surge in delays and cancellations.
Key operational improvements included:
- Runway construction completed two weeks early on June 2nd.
- FAA-imposed limits reducing Newark’s flight operations from 86 per hour to 68, with a tentative cap of 72 per hour through summer 2026, helping to stabilize operations.
- FAA installation of a new fiber optic network in July to support the air traffic control system.
Expanding International Reach
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) remains United’s gateway to the Atlantic. 2024-2025 international highlights, include:
- Summer 2024 saw over 20,000 international departures (more than any other United hub).
- 8,200+ departures to Europe, serving all 32 European destinations exclusively from Newark.
- In 2025, United will serve 82 international destinations from the airport.
- Newark has seven unique international routes not served by any other United hub.
- By the end of 2025, United will have added 12 new international destinations since 2018 (including six new additions this year).
- The airport will maintain more wide-body departures than any other United hub.
One of the most anticipated routes, Nuuk, Greenland, will return in summer 2026 following a successful debut season in 2025.
Massive Hiring Initiative for Newark
To support its growth, United plans to hire more than 2,500 new employees in Newark between 2025 and 2026. The airline currently employs over 14,000 people in the Newark/New York City area, including 3,000+ pilots at its pilot base, 5,700+ flight attendants, along with thousands of ground staff, customer service representatives, and operations specialists.
This hiring surge reflects United’s commitment to expanding its workforce and strengthening the airport as a world-class hub for international travel.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: A First for Newark
United will become the first airline to bring Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Plans include purchasing up to one million gallons of SAF from Neste for use at EWR this year. In 2024 alone, United purchased 13+ million gallons of SAF, more than any other US airline. SAF is a cornerstone of United’s strategy to decarbonize aviation and meet long-term climate goals.
With its record-breaking summer, operational improvements, and aggressive growth plans, United is positioning Newark as one of the premier global hubs for both domestic and international travel.
Anthony’s Take: It’s impressive how far United has come at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). I faced a six-hour delay in the spring and was like tons of travelers who found the airport insufferable. The turnaround is incredible.
(Image Credits: United Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
