United Airlines has made reductions to its transpacific schedule through the fall. Particularly touching flights to China and Oceania, these reductions are not surprising but representative of the overall demand environment, and significant travel restrictions have left many unable to travel.

United Airlines makes significant transpacific cuts

Schedules loaded on Cirium and verified on the airline's websites show United has made another round of international cuts. These primarily impact transpacific operations:

  • Chicago (ORD) to Beijing (PEK) resumption pushed to October 29th
  • Chicago (ORD) to Shanghai (PVG) resumption pushed to October 29th
  • Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD) resumption pushed to October 28th
  • Los Angeles (LAX) to Melbourne (MEL) resumption date pushed to October 28th
  • Los Angeles (LAX) to Shanghai (PVG) resumption pushed to October 29th
  • Newark (EWR) to Beijing (PEK) resumption pushed to October 29th
  • Newark (EWR) to Hong Kong (HKG) resumption pushed to August 1st
  • Newark (EWR) to Shanghai (PVG) resumption pushed to October 29th
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Beijing (PEK) resumption pushed to October 28th
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Chengdu (CTU) resumption pushed to October 30th
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Hong Kong (HKG) resumes on May 28th with one daily flight (down from two)
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Seoul (ICN) reduced to one daily flight until late October
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Shanghai (PVG) continues to run via Seoul (ICN) four times per week
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN) reduced to one daily flight from May through October
  • Washington D.C. (IAD) to Beijing (PEK) resumption pushed to October 29th
UA TPAC CUTS
United has made cuts, either entirely dropping routes or reducing frequencies, to these transpacific operations. Photo: Cirium

An unsurprising array of cuts

United has kept a larger transpacific schedule for booking compared to its peers at Delta and American. It is not surprising to see the airline make these cuts, which put it more in line with other airlines and the overall demand environment.

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China has taken a very strict approach to the pandemic. It has forced airlines to cut flights if arriving passengers later test positive, which United was impacted by, and has strict rules that have forced US airlines to route their China flights via Seoul to avoid crew layovers in China. Even as Beijing holds the Winter Olympics, foreign spectators are largely barred from attending, and the traditional boost of capacity and flights to Olympic destinations did not materialize.

United B787 SFO
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Meanwhile, Australia has also taken a relatively strict approach to the pandemic. However, it is now starting to show signs of reopening. The country's Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, recently made comments that indicated the country was looking at a reopening in April or sooner. However, no firm date has yet been announced. United is still flying to Australia from its San Francisco and Los Angeles hubs. However, its long Houston to Sydney flight poses a larger financial risk and requires a more robust demand environment to sustain the service.

UA 787-9
United is still looking to bring these routes when the demand environment is right. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

United's international exposure

Out of the big three US airlines, United Airlines has the largest international exposure. This served as a drag early on and raised questions over how United would respond to the border closures and travel restrictions. However, as early 2021 hit and a path to international reopenings started to appear, United took a very bullish view of its international operations. Arguing that there were fewer airlines and less capacity to compete against in most markets, the airline started to chart a return of its international system, buoyed by a unique lack of widebody aircraft retirements.

United has shown it is willing to add flights if demand materializes. However, for now, the airline is deciding to make these cuts and will examine the overall return of passengers to the skies across the Pacific.