United Airlines applies for San Francisco – Chengdu

A United 787 Dreamliner – Image Credit: United Airlines

Chicago-based full service carrier United Airlines announced today that it has applied with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for the authority to serve San Francisco – Chengdu, China nonstop from 9th June, 2014.

The proposed flights to Chengdu, China’s fourth largest city and home to China’s fifth busiest airport by passenger traffic, would be served three times per week using Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner equipment. Subject to government approval, the proposed schedule for the flights is as follows. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, flights will depart San Francisco at 1:35 pm, arriving in Chengdu the following day at 6:50 pm the following day. The return flights from Chengdu will depart at 10:00 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, arriving back in San Francisco at 8:50 am the same day, in time for connections throughout the United States.

Chengdu becomes the eighth trans-Pacific destination served by United at San Francisco – already the single largest US carrier trans-Pacific gateway. Chengdu and San Francisco have strong business links owing to Chengdu’s status as China’s electronics manufacturing hub, and San Francisco’s status as the world’s largest technology business hub through nearby Silicon Valley. Chengdu also offers United the potential for connections throughout Central, Southern, and Western China via Star Alliance partner Air China, for whom Chengdu is the second largest hub.