The Skift Travel Podcast

← The Skift Travel Podcast28 aug · 49 min

United’s New Routes Reveal Travel’s Next Bet

United’s New Routes Reveal Travel’s Next Bet28 aug49 min

United is adding 10 new international routes, from Ibiza and Slovenia to Okinawa and Sardinia.

Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko discuss what the expansion says about premium leisure demand, how new long-range narrowbody aircraft are changing route economics, and why Generator’s premium-hostel strategy points to a new opportunity in the squeezed mid-market hotel space.

00:00 United Adds 10 Routes

00:54 Which Flights To Book

02:29 Leisure Travel Targeting

04:39 Premium Status Signaling

05:34 A321XLR Explained

07:19 Long And Skinny Economics

08:43 Charting Narrowbody Growth

10:25 Big Plane Nerding

12:43 More Oddball Nonstops

15:49 Hostel News And Freehand