United Airlines operates a daily nonstop service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dubai International Airport (DXB). Launched in March 2023, United is the only US airline offering nonstop services between the US and the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, United Airlines flies to more destinations in the Middle East than any other US airline. The existing route is United’s second attempt at reaching the Middle Eastern city. The carrier had previously flown to Dubai from October 2008 to January 2016.

Why don’t any other US airlines, particularly legacy carriers like American Airlines and Delta, fly to the UAE? While American Airlines has never flown to the UAE, Delta discontinued its Dubai route in 2016. This article explores the political and commercial reasons for that while highlighting United’s services to Dubai and its strong partnership with Dubai-based airline Emirates.

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Some old feuds carry through

In 2015, the big three US carriers, namely Delta, American, and United, came together to accuse the big three Gulf carriers, Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar, of receiving government subsidies. The alleged unfair subsidies from Gulf governments that amounted to over $50 billion in ten years allowed Gulf carriers to take a large chunk of the US Gulf market.

American Airlines Boeing 737-800 at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport DFW shutterstock_413167732
Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock

The US carriers prepared a 55-page document outlining, well, let’s say, explaining how Gulf carriers were receiving government subsidies to keep their operations alive. At the time, both Delta’s CEO, Richard Anderson, and United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, made remarks about Gulf carriers, saying that these are branding vehicles for their governments rather than commercial airlines.

The US airlines were hoping that their government would (and should) renegotiate open skies agreements with the Gulf carriers, allowing “fair competition” for the US carriers. According to a 2017 statement by Scott Kirby of United Airlines,

“Our political system in the United States is messy and often frustrating, but the great thing about this country is, at the end of the day, we do the right thing. This is so clearly the right thing. I don’t know when or exactly how it will happen, but believe that we will get to a world where we get fair competition.”

While Gulf carriers denied the accusations, the continuing feud led the US carriers to discontinue their existing routes to the Middle East.

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Discontinuation of Delta and United services

At the time, Delta Air Lines operated nonstop services between its largest hub at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) and Dubai (DXB). United Airlines was operating Washington-Dubai nonstop service. Both Delta and United announced that they are discontinuing their services to the region, primarily due to too many flights between the US, the UAE, and Qatar by Gulf carriers, as well as lowered load factors. At the time, Gulf carriers offered more than 90% of the total seat capacity on flights to and from the US.

N409DX Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-941 (1) Cropped (1)

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

In 2018, the US government signed individual (but similar) deals with Qatar and the UAE, confirming that the big-three Middle Eastern carriers will share detailed financial information about their operations, enabling greater transparency. A fair competition based on offered capacity and load factors is expected to prevail.

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Delta Air Lines recently unveiled a limited-edition livery in honor of the airline’s 100th anniversary. I personally thought the livery had a bold, eye-catching color scheme while retaining the iconic Delta widget on the tail of the aircraft. Delta has been flying with the same livery since 2007.

In contrast, American Airlines has been flying the same livery for shorter than that, only since 2013, and United Airlines changed its livery in 2010 upon merging with Continental Airlines before updating its livery again in 2019. It would seem that Delta is due for a livery refresh.

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A new beginning for the US carriers

While American Airlines has never flown to the UAE, its strong partnership with Qatar Airways, through the oneworld alliance and otherwise, led the carrier to begin servicing Doha. American Airlines offered nonstop flights between New York (JFK) and Doha (DOH) for just over a year, between June 2022 and July 2023, before switching to operations in Philadelphia (PHL). The year-round daily flights between PHL and DOH see American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet.

N840AN American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

While Delta Air Lines never returned to the UAE, United Airlines began its services between Newark (EWR) and Dubai (DXB) in March 2023 with a year-round daily service. At its one-year anniversary, the airline had served over 180,000 passengers and carried over 3,000 tonnes of cargo on more than 700 flights. United’s partnership with Emirates allowed nearly one-third of its passengers (in the first year of operations) to travel from Dubai to 40 countries with Emirates and its sister airline flydubai.

Emirates and flydubai aircraft

Photo: Emirates

United Airlines‘ Dubai operations

One of the world’s largest carriers by revenue, fleet size, and passengers, it offers a daily service between its hub in Newark and Dubai using its fleet of Boeing 777-200s. It is the only US airline to offer nonstop flights to the UAE. According to the Director of Sales for Continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and Israel, Thorsten Lettnin,

“As the only U.S. airline to offer nonstop flights between Dubai and the U.S., United is proud to mark the first anniversary of its daily year-round nonstop service to New York/Newark.”

“Since its launch in 2023, our Dubai- New York/Newark service has provided even greater travel choice for our customers in the U.A.E. and the possibility to connect via United’s Newark hub to destinations across the Americas, whilst our customers from the U.S. can fly beyond Dubai with our partners Emirates and flydubai to destinations across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.”

The airline operates a fleet of 96 Boeing 777s, of which 74 are the shorter 777-200s, having an average age of 25.8 years. The carrier’s 772 fleet is configured with 276 seats arranged in four cabin sections.

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United Airlines Boeing 777-200s

United Polaris (business class)

  • 50 Polaris seats based on the Safran Optima platform, arranged as 4 seat pairs across the cabin. All seats have direct access to/from the aisle
  • Seat width: 20″
  • Converts into a fully flat 6′-6″ long bed
  • 16″ HD touchscreen display

United Premium Plus

  • 24 Collins Aerospace MiQ seats configured 2-4-2
  • Seat width: 18.7″
  • Seat pitch: 38″
  • Recline: up to 6″
  • 13″ HD touchscreen display

United Economy Plus

  • 46 Collins Aspire seats configured 3-4-3
  • Seat width: 17.1″
  • Seat pitch: 34″
  • Recline: up to 4″
  • 9″ HD touchscreen display

United Economy

  • 156 seats Collins Aspire seats configured 3-4-3
  • Seat width: 17.1″
  • Seat pitch: 31″
  • Recline: up to 3″
  • 9″ HD touchscreen display

The daily United flight departs Newark (EWR) at 21:40 hours local time and arrives in Dubai (DXB) at 19:05 the following day for a duration of 12 hours and 55 minutes. The return flight leaves Dubai at 01:55 hours local time and arrives in Newark at 08:45 hours, for a duration of 15 hours and 20 minutes.

  • EWR-DXB: UA164 – 7x weekly service
  • DXB-EWR: UA163 – 7x weekly service
A United Airlines Boeing 777 on the apron at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock

The airline had a massive first full year of operations, achieving huge milestones in terms of passengers served, both point-to-point travelers and transit passengers. The Vice President of Research at Dubai Airports, Rob Whitehouse, congratulated the airline on its first year of operations by stating,

“Dubai Airports congratulates United on the successful first anniversary of their Dubai-New York/Newark service. This milestone underscores Dubai International’s (DXB) pivotal role as a premier global hub, facilitating enhanced connectivity between Dubai and the United States. United’s operations at DXB not only offer guests more travel options, but also reinforce Dubai’s position as a leading gateway, providing unparalleled choice and hospitality.”

Nearly one-third of United passengers going from the US to Dubai connect onwards, thanks to United’s strong partnership with Emirates, which allows access to its vast network. On the other hand, over half of all United passengers coming arriving in Newark take advantage of United’s network for onward connections to over 80 destinations across the Americas. This is a significant achievement for both airlines, allowing passengers to have seamless connections in different parts of the world.

United Airlines Boeing 777s at IAH shutterstock_623497451

Photo: Matheus Obst | Shutterstock

The agreement between United and Emirates also offers rewards earning and redeeming opportunities for United MileagePlus members. When flying on United’s flights to Dubai, members can earn and redeem miles on their onward connections to select Emirates destinations. Similarly, Emirates Skywards members can earn miles on United-operated flights as part of Emirates connections.

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