United Airlines has more long-haul flights than any other carrier globally. In the remainder of 2026, the Star Alliance member plans an average of 152 daily long-haul departures. Emirates is the second-largest operator for such activity, followed by Delta Air Lines, Qatar Airways, and British Airways.
Given United’s vast total network, the long-haul segment inevitably represents only a very small part of the pie. One in every 18 departures is long-haul, which is much more than for Delta (one in 23 flights) and especially American Airlines (one in 38). What about United’s particularly long nonstop services?
As the following table shows, the maximum block time is used, with this figure taken from United’s schedule submission to OAG. Reflecting slot possession, block time is measured as stand-to-stand or gate-to-gate. The figure includes taxiing at both ends of a route, the flight time, and a short period for delays. This reflects the so-called padding to help ensure high punctuality and, therefore, higher usability.
Sometimes, nonstop and one-stop, same-plane, same-flight-number services are included in such analysis. But that’s not the case here. Only United’s nonstop activity between August and December 2026 is considered. Some of the entries, or at least the order, might be different at other times.
With a maximum time of 17 hours and 40 minutes, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) remains United’s longest offering. Between 2016 and 2018, the carrier’s Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to SIN nonstop offering was even longer, at up to 17 hours and 55 minutes. When that very long link ended, United doubled the frequency from its primary Pacific hub of SFO to twice daily, which remains in place today.
SFO-SIN is a very high-yielding market, which reflects the amount of premium demand. It is for this reason that both daily flights are on the very low-capacity and very high-premium, 222-seat Boeing 787-9. This configuration has 64 seats in Polaris (1-2-1; more seats than on any other equipment), along with 35 seats in Premium Plus (2-4-2; 38″ pitch), 33 seats in Economy Plus (3-3-3; 34″), and 90 seats in normal economy (3-3-3; 31″).
Maximum Nonstop Block Time (August-December 2026*)
Delhi back to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Twice-daily 787-9 (one flight continues to Bangkok and the other to Hong Kong)
Daily 787-9. New route, beginning on September 4
* Even if only once. The maximum time may be different in 2027
** Known as of August 24 and subject to change
On September 4, United will lift off from EWR for South Korea’s busiest airport. It’ll be the first time that the very long airport pair has had two carriers, with the airline coexisting with South Korea’s self-described hybrid carrier Air Premia. United’s less premium, 257-seat 787-9 will be deployed daily, becoming the airline’s third nonstop service from EWR to East Asia.
In the 12 months to June 2026, booking data shows that 179,000 round-trip passengers flew between EWR and ICN. The South Korean airport was EWR’s largest market in East Asia, even surpassing Tokyo traffic (114,000). This was largely due to the presence of Air Premia, whose relatively low fares have grown the market nicely. However, it also means that the average EWR-ICN base fare is nearly half that from New York JFK, to which only Asiana and Korean Air fly nonstop.
While the carrier has not previously had nonstop flights, a one-stop option existed in the past. Find out more here!
This brand-new route launched in December 2025. Until then, the capital of South Australia did not have any nonstop or same-plane, same-flight-number service to the Americas. Given the enormous cost and risk of launching brand-new ultra-long-haul services, funding is essential for this route.
The first season’s performance was dodgy. The carrier transported 11,778 round-trip passengers but filled just 52.7% of the available seats. The worst result was in February 2026 (only 33.7%), which is a low-demand period for Australian travel. Due to this inauspicious start, which was perhaps predictable, United has reduced the operating period substantially.
Flights will now leave California between December 17, 2026, and February 8, 2027, which is a week or so later than previously scheduled a few weeks ago. Despite the slight extension, it is very different than when flights were available in the first season (December 11, 2025, to March 26, 2026). By mainly focusing on the more-demanded period, loads and yields should rise. But still. The route will only have six weeks of flights, which is highly unusual.
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