This year has seen United Airlines bounce back in the Middle East, with the Star Alliance founding member operating four times as many flights to and from the region in December 2025 as this time last year. This is a combined result of aircraft upgauging initiatives and routes restarting.

A key factor in the increased presence of United Airlines in the Middle East in the second half of this year has been the easing of geopolitical tensions in the region, allowing it to give the green light to the resumption of operations on certain routes. Elsewhere, swapping from one variant of the Boeing 777 family to another on an existing route has resulted in 2,300 extra seats each way a month.

Bigger Aircraft On The Newark-Dubai Route

According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, United’s December operations in the Middle East are up 300% this year compared to 2024. This growth has seen it increase from 62 flights to 248, with the number of seats rising by an even greater factor of 345.3%. This is because, even on a route whose daily frequency (31 flights each way in December) has remained identical, more seats have been added.

The corridor in question links Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with Dubai (DXB), a route where, last December, United used the Boeing 777-200ER and offered 8,556 seats each way. This time around, it has upgauged to the larger 777-300ER model, offering 10,850 seats each way, or an extra 2,294 (26.8%). When United launched its Dubai route in 2023, CEO Scott Kirby explained that:

« United’s new flight to Dubai and [Emirates’] complementary network will make global travel easier for millions of our customers, helping boost local economies and strengthen cultural ties. »

United Airlines Restarted Newark-Tel Aviv Flights This Year

Elsewhere in the Middle East, United Airlines’ resumption of flights to and from Israel has been a driving force when it comes to the carrier’s growth in the region in the second half of the year. Indeed, all of its 186 extra Middle Eastern flights this December compared to last time around serve Israel, and specifically Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), with 124 of these on the route from Newark.

This month, United Airlines is operating 62 flights in each direction between Newark and Tel Aviv with its Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner widebody twinjets, amounting to a daily frequency of two services each way. On July 21 of this year, 10 days earlier than planned, it became the first US carrier to resume flights to and from the country, following Israel’s geopolitical tensions involving Palestine and Iran.

The twice-daily frequency and use of the larger 787-10 variant hint at strong demand for this route, which has block times of 10 hours and 25 minutes flying from Newark to Tel Aviv and 12 hours and five minutes coming back. According to present fleet data made available by aeroLOPA, United’s 787-10s have 44 Polaris business class flatbeds, 21 premium economy recliners, and 253 economy seats on board.

Two More US Hubs Also Now Have Tel Aviv-Bound United Flights Once Again

Elsewhere in the United States of America, United Airlines resumed its flights to Tel Aviv from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Washington Dulles (IAD) a little later on, with their restarts coming at the beginning of November. Both routes use the smaller Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which has 28 Polaris business class flatbeds, 21 premium economy recliners, and 194 economy class seats on board.

This month, United Airlines is operating 18 round trips between Chicago O’Hare and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, and 13 from Washington Dulles. This equates to four flights a week in each direction on the former route and three on the latter, and, conveniently enough, the three weekly Washington rotations operate on the days that those from Chicago do not. Things are certainly looking up for United in the Middle East!