United is launching 13 new international routes in 2025 – see list

• United Airlines announced 13 new routes across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.
• The expansion includes unique destinations such as Nuuk, Greenland and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• United is leveraging fifth freedom rights and Guam-based teams for a competitive advantage in Asia.

United Airlines is making bold route decisions as it continues to expand its massive international footprint.

The Chicago-based airline announced Thursday 13 new routes across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America starting summer 2025.

Eight are niche destinations new to United, including Nuuk, Greenland; Dakar, Senegal; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The expansion will further solidify United's position as the United States' largest international airline across the Atlantic and Pacific.

Mongolia joins United's growing list of fifth freedom routes from Narita International Airport in Tokyo. Other new Fifth Freedom routes include Kaohsiung, Taiwan and the western Pacific country of Palau from Tokyo. The airline had previously announced that it would launch the flight from the Japanese capital Cebu, Philippines later in October.

The so-called fifth freedom of the sky allows airlines to fly between two countries outside their home country as long as their home country is the starting or ending point. They go back to the “Freedoms of the Air” agreement of a UN organization in 1944.

For example, United Arab Emirates-based Emirates stops in Milan between New York and Dubai, while Singapore Airlines stops in Frankfurt, Germany, between New York and Singapore.

Patrick Quayle, SVP of global network planning and alliances at United Airlines, said The routes to Tokyo could use crews based at United's Guam hub, helping the airline gain an edge in Asia.

The airline's European expansion extends beyond Greenland. In addition, the company will launch new flights to remote destinations in Portugal, Italy, France and Spain from its hubs at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Washington Dulles International Airport.

Quayle said these far-flung cities will attract new customers and help United stand out from the competition. They add to the growing list of unique locations for United, which offers nonstop flights to cities like Dubrovnik, Croatia; Tenerife, Spain; and Ponta Delgada, Portugal, for years.

Here's the full list of United's 11 new overseas routes, plus two more to Mexico and Costa Rica:

• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Tokyo: Seasonal from May 1, 2025
• Kaohsiung, Taiwan to Tokyo: All year round from July 11, 2025
• Koror, Palau to Tokyo: All year round from April 2, 2025.
• Nuuk, Greenland to Newark: Seasonal from June 14, 2025.
• Palermo, Italy to Newark: Seasonal from May 21, 2025.
• Bilbao, Spain to Newark: Seasonal from May 31, 2025.
• Faro, Portugal to Newark: Seasonal from May 16, 2025.
• Madeira, Portugal to Newark: Seasonal from June 7, 2025.
• Dakar, Senegal to Dulles: All year round from May 23, 2025.
• Nice, France to Dulles: Seasonal from May 24, 2025.
• Venice to Dulles: Seasonal from May 22, 2025.
• San Francisco to San Jose: Daily starting May 22, 2025.
• Puerto Escondido, Mexico to Houston: Year-round beginning April 5, 2025. (Operated by United regional partner Mesa Airlines).