United Airlines is adding a trio of new transcontinental flights between California and Florida, ramping up competition ahead of the busy winter travel season.
United Airlines Adds Tampa Service From Los Angeles + San Francisco
Starting October 31, 2021, United will operate daily service between Los Angeles and Tampa per the following schedule:
UA2018 Los Angeles (LAX) to Tampa (TPA) dep 10:35PM arr 6:35AM+1UA1789 Tampa (TPA) to Los Angeles (LAX) dep 7:00AM arr 9:15AM
An Airbus A320 will be utilized on the route with 12 seats in first class, 42 seats in EconomyPlus (extra legroom economy), and 96 seats in economy class. American Airlines just announced it too will add new service between Tampa and Los Angeles. That means United will compete with Alaska, American, and Delta on this route.
United will also add a second daily nonstop service between San Francisco and Tampa starting on December 16, 2021.
The flight will be operated according to the following schedule:
UA1956 San Francisco (SFO) to Tampa (TPA) dep 10:30PM arr 6:25AM+1UA1223 Tampa (TPA) to San Francisco (SFO) dep 7:03PM arr 9:40PM
United already operates a daily SFO-TPA flight per the following schedule:
UA2670 San Francisco (SFO) to Tampa (TPA) dep 10:54AM arr 6:59PMUA1513 Tampa (TPA) to San Francisco (SFO) dep 7:22AM arr 9:50AM
United competes with Alaska Airlines on this route.
United Airlines Adds Fort Myers Service From Los Angeles + San Francisco
On December 16, 2021, United Airlines will launch daily service between Fort Myers and both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Los Angeles – Ft Myers
UA1806 Los Angeles to Fort Myers departing 10:15AM arriving 6:15PMUA1775 Fort Myers to Los Angeles departing 7:15PM arriving 9:30PM
San Francisco – Ft Myers
UA1056 San Francisco to Fort Myers departing 10:47AM arriving 7:17PMUA1875 Fort Myers to San Francisco departing 7:00PM arriving 9:50PM
Both flights will utilize a Boeing 737-800, featuring 16 seats in first class, and a mix of EconomyPlus and economy seats which varies based upon the configuration (UA operates four 737-800 configurations). Alaska Airlines already offers service between Fort Myers and Los Angeles.
United Airlines Transcontinental Routes Between California + Florida
United Airlines told Live and Let’s Fly:
As California’s global airline, United looks forward to offering customers on the west coast more direct service to Florida destinations including Tampa and Fort Myers beginning this fall and winter. Florida continues to be a popular destination for our customers, a trend we expect to continue into the winter months. These new routes continue to expand our West Coast network from our hubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco and provide more options for customers to reach Florida across the broader United network. With the addition of the new flights, United will operate 8 routes between California and Florida this winter.
Those eight United transcontinental routes include:
Los Angeles – Fort Myers
Los Angeles – Orlando
Los Angeles – Tampa
San Francisco – Fort Lauderdale
San Francisco – Fort Myers
San Francisco – Miami
San Francisco – Orlando
San Francisco – Tampa
CONCLUSION
United’s growth in Florida reflects surging domestic demand and a slower re-opening of the rest of the world. Sun searchers seeking a warm winter will even more options for getting to Florida this year and I would expect budget carriers will soon follow.