United Airlines announced on August 25, 2026, at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that its first international Airbus A321XLR flights will start on December 1, 2026. The new aircraft will operate from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) (IHD) to Amsterdam and Dublin, following the opening of domestic routes in September 2026.
The Airbus A321XLR can fly up to around 4,700 nautical miles. United also introduced 10 new destinations for summer 2027, five of which will be operated by the A321XLR. These include services from Newark to Luxembourg City (LUX), Ibiza (IBZ), Valencia (VLC), and Marseille (MRS), and from IHD to Toulouse Airport (TLS).
According to ch-aviation, United has so far taken delivery of only one Airbus A321XLR, which has not yet entered commercial service. The airline expects to receive five more by the end of 2026.
