United Airlines to Add New Latin America Routes

By Mary Anne R. First Posted: Oct 17, 2020 01:57 AM EDT

United Airlines is boosting its winter schedule by adding warm-weather Latin America routes.

The airline is adding eight new Latin America routes to increase service to 19 destinations in the coming months as several islands, and countries in the Latin America region welcome back American travelers.

Starting in December, United Airlines will begin operating nonstop flights from Los Angeles to San Jose, Costa Rica, and San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Flights from Denver to Belize and San Jose, Costa Rica, and from Washington D.C. to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic will also start.

United will also launch a new service from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Liberia, Costa Rica, and a restart service from Cleveland to Cancun, Mexico starting in January.

Patrick Quayle, United's Vice President of International Network and Alliances, said that these eight new routes point out the continued expansion of their network and build a strong presence in Latin America.

"Our new and increased service offers travelers more opportunities to find warm-weather getaways and visit friends and family over the winter season," Quayle said in a Travel + Leisure report.

The sale of tickets for these routes will start on Oct. 17. The Costa Rica flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco will start its ticket sale on Oct. 21.

Flights Resuming

United Airlines is also planning to resume its flight routes that are previously suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airline will increase its flight services to cities like Chicago, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York. Its Latin America flight services will also expand to Mexican resort destinations like Cancun, Cozumel, San Jose del Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Zihuatanejo.

United Airlines will also resume its flight services from Cleveland to Cancun on Dec. 19. In November, it will continue its flight destinations in Florida. International flights to Africa and India will also begin in 2021.

COVID-19 Testing Program

United Airlines would also be the first U.S. airline to provide COVID-19 testing programs for passengers. It will start on Oct. 15.

Travelers from San Francisco bound for Hawaii will be given the option to order an at-home testing kit or allot time for a rapid test at the airport.

"We really see this as a great opportunity to provide access to testing for our customers, to get them back in the air and traveling as safely as possible," Aaron McMillan, United's managing director of operations policy and support, said in a CBS News report.

Since March, Hawaii has been closed to tourists. However, this month, with proof of COVID-19 test result within 72 hours before arrival, Hawaii will waive its two-week mandatory quarantine.

Airlines Plead for Aid

Airlines and airport groups have been clamoring for a new aid package for the aviation industry. They added that they also want current quarantine arrangements to be replaced with a new testing program.

IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said in a BBC News report that many countries' relief packages to their airline industry this year were due to the assumption that recovery would be in place now.

He noted that without a second tranche of financial aid, many airlines would not survive the winter.