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United Airlines has continued its international expansion plans — announcing new seasonal routes for summer 2026. The announcement features new destinations for United as well as increased routes to already serviced cities. United aims to continue taking advantage of summer demand to Europe by featuring cities that have become increasingly popular for U.S. travelers.
We will break down all the United routes as well as show you what award availability looks like to fly to these unique destinations.
Page Contents
Four New United Routes to Europe for Summer 2026
This chart outlines the four new European destinations, which we will detail below, as well as their start dates and frequency.
| Start Date | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| Newark (EWR)- Split, Croatia (SPU) | April 30, 2026 | 3 times/week |
| Newark (EWR)- Glasgow, Scotland (GLS) | May 8, 2026 | Daily |
| Newark (EWR)- Santiago de Compostela, Spain (SCQ) | May 27, 2026 | 3 times/week |
| Newark (EWR)- Bari, Italy (BRI) | May 1, 2026 | 4 times/week |
Split, Croatia (SPU)
Split marks the second destination in Croatia for United after Dubrovnik. After this addition, United operates the only two non-stop flights from the U.S. to Croatia.
Croatia is well-known for its seafood, beautiful national parks, old world architecture, and dramatic seascapes. Visiting the islands off the coast by boat, strolling the promenade in Split, or visiting the ancient Roman Diocletian's Palace are just a few of the draws to this lovely country.
Plus, using points and miles to visit Croatia non-stop from Newark will make that fresh fish taste even better. You can now find award space for the Split route on United for economy flights — even for multiple passengers — for Summer 2026.
Those economy awards start at 40,000 United miles one-way, but premium cabin awards increase sharply from there. Typically, this route would price as low as 80,000 miles each way in business, but no saver availability is available at this time.
However, one can hope that those lower-priced business class seats might open up either as next summer draws near or at the last minute. So if you have flexibility with your travels, keep an eye out as next May approaches. Plus, thanks to United's friendly cancellation policy, you can book an economy award now and then change with no fee should a business seat open up.
Related: Complete guide to Using United Plus Points
Glasgow, Scotland (GLA)
Whether you want to explore Glasgow's museums and pubs, play a legendary round of golf, or head North to the Scottish Highlands, United has you covered. This daily flight from Newark will serve as the only non-stop option from the United States. This represents a great option to get from New York to the Northern part of Scotland quickly. And with plenty of economy availability to boot, this is another lesser-known destination to put on your radar.
As you can see, prices next year start at just 26,300 miles in economy. We found a lot of dates available at this price. United flies a Boeing 737 MAX 8 on this route, which doesn't have lie-flat business class seats. But for the sub-seven-hour flight, this price for economy seats direct to Scotland can't be beat.
Santiago de Compostela, Spain (SCQ)
You may not have heard of this city in the Northwest corner of Spain, but the area has a rich history with stunning cathedrals and Medieval architecture. It is most famously known as the endpoint of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.
These popular hiking routes today can be done in various distances. The Camino Francés, the most popular route at about 780 km (480 miles), typically takes 30–40 days. Shorter routes like the Camino Portugués can be completed in 10–14 days. Or, if you're short on time, you can hike just the last day from Pedrouzo, just a short distance away from the airport.
If this epic hike is on your bucket list, flying home once you're done, nonstop to Newark should definitely excite you. This calendar view on United from July 19 to August 16, 2026 shows economy awards starting at 38,300 miles and several dates at 40,000 miles. The dates with $5.60 in taxes are the non-stop options — which is a really low fee to pay compared to typical flights to Europe.
Bari, Italy (BRI)
United will fly the only flight from the U.S. — do you sense the theme — to this picturesque hub of the Puglia region in Eastern Italy. This flight will drop you right into the hillside terrain of Puglia, with access to the beautiful beaches and a large port on the Adriatic Sea. Plus, you are not far from the famous trullo buildings of Alberobello.
There is not as much saver economy availability on this route as the others. You can find dates starting at 40,000 miles and going up from there. Again, business class saver seats are non-existent at this time.
Expanded United Routes to Europe
More good news for United fliers: In addition to the new routes, United has announced further routes to cities already served. These routes are not just to Europe but to Asia as well.
| Start Date | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| Washington D.C. (IAD)- Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF) | May 21, 2026 | Daily |
| Newark (EWR)- Seoul, South Korea (ICN) | September 4, 2026 | Daily |
| Newark (EWR)- Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV) | March 28, 2026 | 4 times/week- one more daily flight added |
Washington (IAD) to Reykjavik (KEF)
United is adding another route to the Land of Fire and Ice, complementing its flight from Chicago (ORD) to Iceland. This daily seasonal flight will begin May 21, 2026, and feature a Boeing 757-200 aircraft with lie-flat seats on this route. This gives travelers yet another option to Iceland in the summertime to visit the rocky landscapes and majestic waterfalls of this tiny island close to the Arctic Circle.
Look at the calendar view from Washington (IAD) for late-June to late-July next year. There are many dates starting at 37,200 miles. Note, you should be able to connect from your local airport through Washington D.C. on this route to Iceland at a similar low rate — pending award availability.
Newark (EWR) to Seoul, South Korea (ICN)
United will add to its current flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Seoul by adding a first-ever flight from Newark (EWR). This daily flight will begin September 4, 2026 on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and give East Coast travelers another route to South Korea.
The limited dates open for bookings next September show an unimpressive 100,000 miles in economy class. Keep an eye on this route as more dates open to potentially grab saver awards.
Newark (EWR) to Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV)
On March 28, 2026, United will add another flight from Newark (EWR) to Tel Aviv (TLV). United flies this route four days a week, and this will bump the offerings up to 3 flights per day — again on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
We are seeing economy seats starting at 40,000 miles for the current flights in 2025, but as of now, for this third flight beginning in March of next year, rates start much higher.
Related: 8 Best Business Class Flights to Europe
Bottom Line
The more choices the better when it comes to award travel, and United Airlines is helping by offering even more options to Europe. Access to these more remote, yet popular, areas via non-stop flights is a big win for U.S.-based travelers.
Whether you accumulate United miles through the MileagePlus program or transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Rewards, there are plenty of ways to acquire miles to book these flights starting in Summer 2026.
The only downside is that there is virtually no business class award availability right now. But if you are fine with flying economy or want to scour awards using a search tool for business class seats, you should have no problem checking out these unique destinations using your points and miles.
If you want to stock up on United miles for travel next year, here are some great offers to do so:
- 2X miles per $1 spent on purchases from United®
- 2X miles per $1 spent on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
- 1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 5 miles per $1 spent at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants
- 2 miles per $1 spent on select streaming services
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 2x on United® purchases
- 2x on local transit and commuting — including train tickets, taxicabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services
- 2x at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores
- 1x on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The New United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees), The New United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and The New United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees)
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