United Airlines announces nonstop service to Dubai and Moscow

United plans to tap into two thriving economies with new daily passenger and cargo service to Dubai and Moscow from its Washington Dulles hub. Pending government approvals, United plans to begin its Dubai and Moscow service October 26.

Dubai, a key Middle East trade port, real estate haven and major world hub for IT and financial services, will become the second, fast-emerging Middle Eastern city United serves. In October 2006, United launched three weekly flights between Washington Dulles and Kuwait, and in December 2007 we increased this service to daily.

Service to Moscow, Russia’s prime financial, scientific and cultural center, will mark United’s fifth new capital-to-capital service in the last two years, bringing the total to 12.

“Commerce and tourism are growing exponentially in both Dubai and Moscow, and many of our cargo and corporate customers are traveling and shipping there more often to capitalize upon the economic health in these regions,” said John Tague, executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “With these new routes, we are continuing to show discipline with our capacity deployment by targeting profitable growth opportunities.”

With United’s first-ever flights to Dubai and Moscow, United’s Washington Dulles hub now will serve 24 international destinations, including five that began operating in the past two years: Beijing, Kuwait, Rio de Janeiro (seasonal service restarts in September), Rome and Tokyo. Washington Dulles also offers customers traveling from Dubai and Moscow onward connecting service to 88 destinations in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.

“This further connects Virginia and the D.C. metro region to the global economy and that’s good news for all of us,” said Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.

United plans to operate combined passenger and cargo service between the U.S. and Dubai using a Boeing 777 aircraft and between the U.S. and Moscow using a Boeing 767 aircraft.

Today, the Boeing 777 aircraft is configured with 10 United First Suite seats, 45 United Business seats and 198 United Economy class seats, including 84 Economy Plus seats.

The Boeing 767 aircraft is configured with 10 United First seats, 32 United Business seats and 141 United Economy class seats, including 67 Economy Plus seats. Both of these aircraft will undergo United’s multi-million-dollar product enhancement that brings to United First and United Business true flat-bed seats, on-demand entertainment and other spruced-up amenities that create the optimal space to work, sleep or relax while traveling to Dubai for approximately 13 hours and Moscow for approximately 10 hours.

United remains the only U.S. airline to offer customers a choice of four different seating sections – United First, United Business, Economy Plus and Economy.

The new route is expected to serve as an important cargo entryway for the Middle East region’s high demand for petrochemical, construction and consumer goods and for Russia’s growing demand for industrial and consumer commodities. Mail also is expected to represent a significant amount of cargo volume on these flights.