United Airlines destinations to China in most cases joined US cities with Beijing and Shanghai. But there are new changes on the way. It is going to include other cities. Moreover, the company will operate in collaboration with Air China.
It is likely that Guangzhou will be among the company’s routes. As Guangzhou is growing and becoming more touristy there might be a direct flight from San Francisco in several years.
In 2008 United Airlines was going to launch a flight with a San Francisco-Guangzhou destination. But it failed to realize its plan due to worldwide crisis.
It will be really beneficial for a company as no other rival companies have this destination on their route. They fly only to Beijing and Shanghai.
A partnership between United Airlines and Guangzhou based China Southern is growing. Moreover, United Airlines has even invested in it. Also this partnership is favourable for American Airlines because China Southern is going to have a hub at new airport Beijing Daxing.
The company is going to add a second daily flight connecting Newark and Shanghai. The starting point is June 2020. The new strategy of United Airlines implies flights to mainland Chinese cities.
It has made a decision not due to growing demand to in flights to secondary cities but a high competiveness among airline companies. The market has a wide variety of flights with Beijing and Shanghai destinations, so it is hard to compete.
Adding Guangzhou would see United return to its strategy of serving mainland Chinese cities other than Beijing and Shanghai. Guangzhou is considered a first tier city but with lower premium demand than China’s political and business capitals. United expanded to secondary cities, launching flights to Chengdu, Xi’an and Hangzhou. Xi’an and Hangzhou were cancelled. Chengdu, which was once served daily, now has three weekly flights.