United Airlines celebrates 35 years of flying from Heathrow | News
United Airlines marks a special milestone this month: 35 years of flying from Heathrow. Since its first flight from Washington DC to London in April 1991, United has carried more than 58 million passengers and more than 2.2 million tons of cargo on more than 328,000 flights between London and the US.
Thirty-five years ago, in 1991, United’s network expanded to 158 cities in 16 countries, while today the airline flies to more than 380 cities in 67 countries during the 2026 summer peak and is the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. From Heathrow, United today offers up to 20 daily nonstop flights to its hubs in Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington DC and has a team of more than 1,000 employees at Heathrow.
Underscoring Heathrow’s strategic importance within United Airlines’ global network, the airline has selected London – San Francisco as one of the first launch routes for its most premium aircraft to date, the brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with elevated interior.
The first flight to feature the new United Polaris Studio℠ suites, more spacious seats, larger seatback screens and Bluetooth connectivity at every seat, the UA900, will depart from Heathrow to San Francisco on May 1, 2026.
“Celebrating 35 years of flying between London and the US is a significant milestone for United and reflects our long-standing commitment to Great Britain,” said Karolien De Hertogh, Director of Sales UK and Ireland, United Airlines. “As our largest station outside the US, Heathrow enables vital connections between the UK and the US, with the ability to seamlessly connect to hundreds of further destinations across the Americas and beyond through our seven US hubs. We are proud to have a team of more than 1,000 employees at Heathrow today, whose dedication supports this important operation.”
“We are proud to celebrate 35 years of United Airlines at Heathrow, marking a long-standing partnership that has helped connect Britain to destinations in the United States and beyond,” said Joanna Taso, managing director, Heathrow Aviation. “This milestone reflects the strength of our collaboration with partner airlines to support our shared goals of driving trade, tourism and transatlantic travel while improving the passenger experience for millions of travelers every year. As the world’s most connected airport, we look forward to building on this partnership with United Airlines in the years to come.”
United in Great Britain
United Airlines has been serving the United Kingdom for 35 years. The airline offers up to twenty daily flights from London Heathrow to its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington/Dulles. United also offers year-round service from Edinburgh to Newark/New York, almost year-round to Washington/Dulles and seasonal service to Chicago. United will also resume daily seasonal summer service from Glasgow to Newark/New York from May 9 through October 2026, which was previously operated by the airline until 2019.
All flights are conveniently timed to connect to United’s US hubs with an extensive network of services to destinations across America. Customers can book by visiting united.com or calling 0845 607 6760 or their travel agent.
