Having been first used in 1999 by the German manufacturer condor
, the Boeing 757-300
is not the new kid on the block, by any means. However, the jet has the claim to fame for being the longest single-aisle twinjet ever built, at a length of 178.7 ft. According to Aircraft Spotting, its production run lasted only five years, and the final aircraft was delivered to Continental Airlines in April 2004. During that time, 55 Boeing 757-300s were built, and as of 2023, 45 were still in service.
Curious readers may be wondering: which airline is using these 757-300s today, and what routes do they fly? As shown in this article from 2023, United Airlines
flew the most 757-300s in that year. This article will update and expand on this, by investigating which routes the airline is scheduled to fly the aircraft type the most in 2025.

Related
The 23 Routes United Airlines Is Flying The Boeing 757-300 In October
Denver has replaced Chicago O’Hare as the top airport for 757-300 flights.
The most frequent Boeing 757-300 flights with United Airlines
In the article above, which analyzes the United flights of 757-300s in October of last year, it is shown that United’s network of 757-300 flights was entirely domestic, with the last regular international operations using this aircraft happening in October 2020. With newer airplanes such as the Boeing 787
being able to handle longer ranges at a lower cost per mile, it is no wonder the 757-300 is relegated to domestic duty.
Photo: GCMap
That said, the 757-300 does have some amenities for traveling over mid-to-long distances, with personal device entertainment, Wi-Fi and power sockets available for all passengers, along with reclining seats, three lavatories and (some) adjustable armrests. In the standard United configuration, seating options include:
- 24 United First seats
- 54 United Economy Plus seats
- 156 United Economy seats
On a full flight, the 757-300 with United can carry a total of 234 passengers, and the aircraft is normally used on high-density routes, which are typically from hub-to-hub, and for leisure-related purposes. Interestingly, United Airlines did not purchase any of its acquired 757-300s; rather, it inherited them in a merger with Continental Airlines in 2010. The merger and the reasons behind it are explained more fully in this article from last year.
Scheduled 757-300 flights for 2025
Photo: United Airlines
So, how does the 757-300 service with United look in the coming year? See the table below for the number of flights by destination, the number of possible seats on these routes, and the average miles per route:
Boeing 757-300 Flights with United Airlines |
|||
Originating Airport |
Number of Flights |
Total Seats |
Average Miles |
Denver International Airport (DEN) |
245 flights |
57,330 |
1,136 |
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) |
233 flights |
54,552 |
1,384 |
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) |
159 flights |
37,206 |
2,199 |
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH) |
146 flights |
34,164 |
898 |
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) |
115 flights |
26,910 |
1,567 |
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
109 flights |
25,506 |
1,873 |
Denver International Airport (DEN) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) serve the most flights by a margin of nearly 80. However, their average miles are on the shorter side, slotting nicely into the ideal use-case for the 757-300: busy, mid-range, domestic routes. To look a little deeper into where United’s 757-300s fly once leaving, the tables below will break down the destinations of these two most frequently flown airports:
United 757-300 flights leaving Denver (DEN) |
|||
Destination |
Flights |
Route Seats |
Average Miles |
Washington Ronald Reagan Airport (DCA) |
31 |
7,254 |
1,476 |
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) |
6 |
1,404 |
1,452 |
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH) |
56 |
13,104 |
861 |
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
18 |
4,212 |
862 |
Orlando International Airport (MCO) |
62 |
14,508 |
1,545 |
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) |
68 |
15,912 |
888 |
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) |
4 |
936 |
967 |
United 757-300 flights leaving Chicago (ORD) |
|||
Destination |
Flights |
Route Seats |
Average Miles |
Denver International Airport (DEN) |
44 |
10,296 |
888 |
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH) |
55 |
12,870 |
925 |
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) |
24 |
5,616 |
1,515 |
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
52 |
12,168 |
1,745 |
Orlando International Airport (MCO) |
2 |
468 |
1,005 |
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) |
56 |
13,104 |
1,846 |
The list of airports appearing here is not particularly surprising, many being tourism hot-spots for international travelers. However, the fact that Chicago takes the top spot for scheduled flights from Denver is perhaps a little unexpected. In the case of Houston, the state of Texas has been experiencing an uplift in tourism numbers, according to 2023 International Trade Administration (ITA) data, expanded upon in the section below.
Tourism on the rise in the US
With Covid downturns of previous years returning to normal in the last couple of years, 2023 had a large increase in tourism, and 2024 numbers reached even higher. The list of most visited cities and the places where visits increased the most overlaps with the list of destinations most flown to by United via the 757-300. The five states with the largest visitor increases between 2022 and 2023 are listed below:
- New York: 1,943,000 increase
- California: 1,814,000 increase
- Florida: 788,000 increase
- Hawaii: 715,000 increase
- Texas: 583,000 increase
To further break it down by city, below are the top eight most visited cities for the full year of 2023, with increases by percentage shown:
Rank |
City |
Number of Visitors (2023) |
Percentage change |
1 |
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ MD |
8,890,000 |
+27.1% |
2 |
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL MD |
4,365,000 |
+6.8% |
3 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA MD |
3,603,000 |
+31.0% |
4 |
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA |
3,518,000 |
+20.5% |
5 |
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA MD |
2,281,000 |
+31.2% |
6 |
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA |
2,077,000 |
+25.1% |
7 |
Washington (DC Metro Area), DC-MD-VA |
1,611,000 |
+38.0% |
8 |
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL MD |
1,413,000 |
+33.2% |

Related
Have You Flown The Boeing 757-300?
The Boeing 757-300, the so-called flying pencil, has always been uncommon. It is relatively economical equipment thanks to low ownership costs, although fuel consumption and maintenance are higher than for newer alternatives.
Specifications of the 757-300
The 757-300 is a long aircraft, being an extended version of the 757 designed for the charter market, and replacing the 767-200. It is so long, in fact, that it features a retractable tailskid on its aft fuselage to avoid the tail striking the ground during take-off and landing, and acquired the nickname; ‘The Flying Pencil’. Condor, the first customer of the 757-300, ordered the aircraft to serve low-cost, high-density transportation to holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands.
Boeing 757-300 Specifications |
|
Max Speed |
496 knots / 918 km/h / 571 mph |
Cruise Speed |
461 knots / 854 km/h / 531 mph |
Range |
3,400 nmi / 6,295 km / 3,900 mi |
Ceiling |
42,650 ft |
Takeoff Distance |
8,550 ft |
Seats |
243 |
Fuel Capacity |
11,466 US gal |
Cargo Volume |
2,370 cubic ft |
Length |
178 ft 7 in |
Wingspan |
124 ft 10 in |
Power Plant |
2x Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B “Phase 5” High Bypass Ratio turbofan engines (Thrust: 42,540 lbf each) |
Overall, the 757-300 fulfilled its role decently in its 26 years of service, even if it is a little more awkward to fly thanks to its long takeoff distance requirements and higher fuel burn than more modern counterparts. In its years of service, it has been used by many airlines, including:
- American Trans Air
- Arkia Israel Airlines
- Condor
- Continental Airlines (this became part of United Airlines in 2010)
- Icelandair
- Thomas Cook Airlines
- Northwest Airlines (this became part of Delta Air Lines in 2008)
The Rolls-Royce RB211 engine that the 757-300 used was the first three-spool high-bypass turbofan designed for production, and helped Rolls-Royce become the industry leader in aviation engines. The RB211-524L model, developed from the RB211 and tested in 1989, was the development base of the modern Trent engines. The 524L model would become the Trent 700 upon its commercial release in 1995, at that time producing 67,500–71,100 lbf of thrust.
Who still uses the 757-300 today?
The 757-300 is perhaps lacking some modern comforts and innovations, but like many fan-favorite planes, its impact and ingenuity make it very memorable. It may be a few more years before this aircraft is replaced by airlines. As of 2023, the numbers of 757-300s still in use are dwindling, but the following airlines still own and fly the plane:
- Condor (9 owned, 8 active)
- Icelandair (2 owned, 2 active)
- United Airlines (21 owned, 20 active)
- Delta Air Lines (16 owned, 15 active)
- Azur Air Ukraine (3 owned, 0 active)
Azur Air Ukraine, the airline, stored its 757-300s when the war in Ukraine began. It intended to dust off its fleet when the war ended, but its future is still uncertain at present.
Eventually, aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo, a development of the A320 family of narrow-body airliners, will out-compete the 757-300 for domestic flights, and the 757-300 will cease to be seen. It will be a shame, but if technological engine developments can increase fuel efficiency by as much as 15% to 20%, while adding performance gains in speed, the more advanced products will inevitably win out.