As football fans across the U.S. get ready to cheer on their favorite teams on the road this fall, United is adding new routes, more flights and flying planes with more seats to give diehard fans every chance to get in on action on their rival's home turf. To meet an expected increase in demand for fans to travel to watch their favorite teams in person this season, United is adding 74 flights, including 52 new direct flights between college towns and professional football markets on gameday weekends this September through November. The airline will operate three times more direct flights to college towns this year than it did in 2019.
“Nothing brings people together like the opportunity to cheer on the teams they love,” said Ankit Gupta, vice president of domestic network planning at United. “This upcoming season, United is adding even more direct flights to college and professional football games than we've ever added before so our customers can reunite with the teams, tailgates and touchdowns they may have missed last season.”
College Football
United is adding 58 new flights to help some of the most loyal fans in college sports cheer on their teams including adding 44 point to point flights for 21 of their biggest away games. Some of these flights include:
September:
- Austin, TX to Bentonville, AR to see University of Texas at University of Arkansas
- Lincoln, NE to Lansing, MI to see University of Nebraska at Michigan State University
October:
- State College, PA to Cedar Rapids, IA to see Pennsylvania State University at University of Iowa
- Birmingham, AL to College Station, TX to see University of Alabama at Texas A&M University
- Syracuse, NY to Greenville/Spartanburg, SC to see Syracuse University at Clemson University
- Los Angeles, CA to South Bend, IN to see University of Southern California at University of Notre Dame
- Raleigh, NC to South Bend, IN to see University of North Carolina at University of Notre Dame
November:
- Baton Rouge, LA to Birmingham, AL to see Louisiana State University at University of Alabama
- South Bend, IN to San Francisco, CA to see University of Notre Dame at Stanford University
Professional Football
United isn't forgetting about diehard professional football fans and will add 16 new direct flights for four of the most highly anticipated games of the early season, including flights between:
- Green Bay, WI and New Orleans, LA to watch two of the most proficient offenses square off opening weekend in the Big Easy on Sept. 12
- Green Bay, WI and San Francisco, CA to witness the San Francisco 49ers host one of their fiercest conference rivals under the lights of Levi's Stadium the weekend of Sept. 26
- Tampa, FL and Boston, MA when the “GOAT” returns to his old stomping ground on Oct. 3
- Buffalo, NY and Kansas City, MO to see the road team get a shot at revenge the weekend of Oct. 10
The addition of these new point-to-point routes is just the latest way the airline is creatively rebuilding its network. United started to prepare for the return of air travel more than a year ago, matching its flying schedule to demand by maintaining close coordination between its network planning teams and the airline's operating groups. In September, United will fly 88% of its 2019 domestic schedule. To purchase one of these flights, visit https://www.united.com/en-us/game-day.
As customers book trips this fall, they will notice new upgrades to United's service as part of its customer experience transformation. Updates include the option to pre-order snacks and beverages online and through United's app. And customers can book trips with confidence knowing that if their plans change, they have the flexibility to adjust their travel. United was the first global U.S. airline to eliminate change fees on most tickets and to allow all customers to fly standby for free on the same day of travel to the same destination.
