United Airlines Adjusts Summer 2026 Flight Schedules: Aircraft Changes & Route Updates
Published at 3:00 PM PDT / 10:00 PM GMT on October 12, 2025
United Airlines has released a new round of schedule adjustments for its Northern Summer 2026 intercontinental routes, building on updates filed earlier this month. The changes, revealed through a comparison of flight schedules from september 28th and October 12th, 2025, detail aircraft swaps, frequency adjustments, and revised start dates for numerous key routes.
These updates provide valuable insight for travelers planning trips in the summer of 2026, and signal United’s ongoing efforts to optimize its network based on anticipated demand and fleet availability. Hear’s a breakdown of the most significant changes:
Key Route Updates:
* Chicago O’Hare (ORD): Passengers traveling between chicago and Amsterdam will see a temporary shift in aircraft. the Boeing 767-300ER will operate the route between March 28th and May 20th, 2026, replacing the 787-8. The ORD-Milan Malpensa route will see a 787-10 replace the -8 starting May 21st, 2026. Service to Reykjavik Keflavík will begin six days earlier than previously scheduled, launching on May 12th, 2026, operated by a 757-200.
* Newark (EWR): Several Newark routes are undergoing modifications. Service to Bilbao will now begin on May 30th, 2026, nine days later than originally planned. A second daily seasonal flight to brussels will continue as planned, operating with a 757-200. flights to Faro will now start two weeks later, on May 15th, 2026. United will upgrade the Newark-Munich route with a 777-200ER, replacing the 767-400ER. The Newark-palma de Mallorca route will see a slight reduction,dropping from four weekly flights to three. Ponta delgada service will launch a month earlier, on May 7th, 2026, initially operating five times weekly, increasing to daily service from June 29th to September 6th, 2026.Newark to Venice will see a 777-200ER replace the 767-400ER between May 21st and September 23rd, 2026.
* San Francisco (SFO): san francisco passengers will benefit from aircraft upgrades on several routes.The SFO-Amsterdam route will be served by a 787-9 instead of a 777-200ER between April 30th and September 7th, 2026.The airline is tentatively planning to increase service to Brisbane from four weekly flights to daily, utilizing a 777-200ER.Flights to Frankfurt will see a full switch to 777-200ER aircraft, replacing the mixed fleet of -200ER and -300ER models. Osaka Kansai will also receive the upgraded 787-9, replacing the 777-200ER starting August 1st, 2026.Tokyo Narita will see a 777-300ER replace the -200ER on May 21st, 2026.
* Washington Dulles (IAD): Travelers between Washington Dulles and Athens will enjoy upgraded service with a 777-200ER replacing the 787-8 starting April 30th, 2026. The Dulles-Barcelona route will see a series of aircraft changes throughout the spring and summer, with a mix of 787-8, 767-400ER, and 777-200ER aircraft operating on different date ranges. Similarly,flights to Rome will see a 777-200ER replace the 767-400ER on select flights (UA884/885) starting April
