United Airlines Marks 35 Years of Flying from Heathrow | News
United Airlines is marking a special milestone this month: 35 years of flying from Heathrow. Since the first flight took off in April 1991 from Washington D.C. to London, United has carried more than 58 million passengers and over 2.2 million tonnes of cargo on over 328,000 flights between London and the U.S.
Thirty-five years ago in 1991, United’s network extended to 158 cities in 16 countries whereas today, the airline is flying to over 380 cities in 67 countries during the summer peak 2026 and is the largest airline in the world, as measured in available seat miles. From Heathrow today, United offers up to 20 daily nonstop flights to its hubs at Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. and has a team of over 1000 employees at Heathrow.
Underlining the strategic importance of Heathrow 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 featuring the new United Polaris Studio℠ suites, roomier seats, larger seatback screens, and Bluetooth connectivity at every seat, UA900, is set to depart Heathrow for San Francisco on 1 May 2026.
“Celebrating 35 years of flying between London and the U.S. is a significant milestone for United and reflects our long-standing commitment to the U.K.,” said Karolien De Hertogh, Director Sales UK and Ireland, United Airlines. “As our largest station outside of the U.S., Heathrow enables vital connections between the U.K and the United States, with the possibility to seamlessly connect via our seven U.S. hubs to hundreds of onward destinations across the Americas and beyond. We are proud to have a team of over 1000 employees working 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 the U.K. with destinations across the United States and beyond,” said Joanna Taso, Heathrow Aviation Director. “This milestone reflects the strength of our collaboration with partner airlines, supporting our shared goals of boosting trade, tourism and transatlantic travel, while enhancing the passenger experience for millions of travellers each year. As the world’s most connected airport, we look forward to building on this partnership with United Airlines in the years ahead.”
United in the U.K.
United Airlines has been serving the U.K. for 35 years. The airline is offering up to 20 daily flights from London Heathrow to its hubs at Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington/Dulles. United also offers service from Edinburgh to Newark/New York year-round, to Washington/Dulles nearly year-round and seasonal service to Chicago. United is also resuming daily summer seasonal service from Glasgow to Newark/New York from 9 May through October 2026, previously served by the airline up until 2019.
All flights are conveniently timed to connect at United’s U.S hubs with an extensive network of services to destinations throughout the Americas. Customers can book by visiting united.com or calling 0845 607 6760, or their travel agent.
