United Airlines plans to add a new nonstop route from San Francisco International Airport to Okinawa, Japan, and resume flights to Tel Aviv, Israel, as part of what the airline says is the “largest expansion” in its history.
The new San Francisco–Okinawa service is scheduled to begin March 27, 2027, with three flights per week aboard a Boeing 777-200ER, United announced Tuesday. The airline said it would resume three-times-weekly flights from SFO to Tel Aviv the following day.
The routes are part of a broader expansion that will add 10 international cities to United’s network next year, including destinations in Japan, France, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia and Italy. The airline also plans new routes from Los Angeles to Osaka, Washington, D.C., to Milan, and Denver to Paris.
Okinawa will become United’s third nonstop destination in Japan from San Francisco, joining Tokyo and Osaka. United also plans nonstop service to Sapporo, Japan, beginning in December.
United said it will be the only U.S. airline offering nonstop service between the United States and Okinawa. The Japanese island chain is known for its beaches, subtropical climate and distinct Ryukyuan history and culture.
The San Francisco routes are among the most significant local pieces of United’s global expansion. The Chicago-based carrier uses SFO as one of its major U.S. hubs and has steadily expanded its service across the Pacific and to other international markets.
United said it has added 58 international destinations to its route map since 2017 and now serves more than 160 international destinations.
The airline also unveiled its newest international aircraft, the Airbus A321XLR, at an event Tuesday at Newark Liberty International Airport. United plans to use the narrow-body plane on several of its new European routes, including flights to Luxembourg, Ibiza, Marseille, Toulouse and Valencia.
The plane is scheduled to begin international service in December, with initial flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Amsterdam and Dublin.
Tickets for the newly announced routes were available through United’s website and app as of Tuesday, although the airline cautioned that the routes still require government approval.