United Airlines Adds SFO Routes, Delays Chicago Expansion

United Airlines is strategically shifting its expansion efforts, adding two new routes from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for the winter season while indefinitely postponing a planned expansion of 10 new routes from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). The decision to delay Chicago operations is directly linked to ongoing flight number caps imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at ORD, which have significantly constrained the airline's ability to grow at its hub. In contrast, the FAA recently eased restrictions at SFO, allowing for an increase in hourly flight operations. United will commence daily flights from SFO to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) on October 25, utilizing a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Additionally, on November 7, the airline will begin Saturday-only service from SFO to President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT) in West Palm Beach, Florida, also operated by a Boeing 737-800. This West Palm Beach airport was formerly known as Palm Beach International Airport and operated under the airport code PBI. The schedule data for these new routes was provided by the aviation analytics firm Cirium. The easing of restrictions at SFO follows previous limitations implemented by the FAA in April, which reduced hourly flights to 36 due to runway construction and safety concerns. The agency has since increased the allowance to 40 flights per hour as of August 12, with expectations of a further increase to 42 flights per hour by the end of August, according to a report by The San Francisco Chronicle. Despite these improvements, SFO will still operate below its pre-cap capacity of up to 54 flights per hour. United's Chief Operating Officer, Toby Enqvist, had indicated in June that the airline anticipated "improvements in landing rates in San Francisco" in the near future, which now appear to be materializing. The situation at Chicago O'Hare remains challenging, with the FAA's flight caps, initially implemented in April, now extended through October 2027. This extension, which supersedes the previous October deadline, stems from a dispute between United and American Airlines over control of airport gates, managed through the airport's gate redistribution program based on flight volume. The FAA's intervention aimed to regulate gate access and prevent monopolistic control. United Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance, is headquartered in Chicago.