By Youssef Yahya 
On Wednesday 14th of September 2022, United and Emirates announced a historic commercial agreement that will expand each airline’s network and provide customers with easier access to hundreds of destinations in the United States and around the world. The announcement was made during a ceremonial event at the United Airlines hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) hosted by United CEO Scott Kirby and Emirates President Sir Tim Clark to the assembled media about the partnership’s scope and limitations. The event featured United and Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and flight crews from each carrier.
“Two of the biggest, and best-known airlines in the world are joining hands to fly people better to more places, at a time when travel demand is rebounding with a vengeance. It’s a significant partnership that will unlock tremendous consumer benefit and bring the United Arab Emirates and the United States even closer.“
Emirates President Sir Tim Clark
A few weeks ago, United and Emirates started making waves in the aviation world, with United taking to Twitter and asking if Emirates wanted to “hang-ar” on September 14. The two airlines were expected to announce a codeshare agreement, and some speculated that Emirates might join the Star Alliance.
United is planning to establish a new route to reach its partner
Beginning in March 2023, United will launch a new direct flight between Newark/New York and Dubai, from which customers can fly on Emirates or its sister airline flydubai to over 100 cities. United’s new Dubai flight tickets are now on sale.
- UA164: Will depart Newark at 22:15, arriving in Dubai at 07:40 the next day
- UA163: Will depart Dubai at 02:15, arriving in Newark at 09:05
The flight is scheduled to take 13 hours and 25 minutes east and 14 hours and 50 minutes west. United will fly its Boeing 777-200ER on the route, which will be the carrier’s first visit to Dubai since 2016.
“We welcome United’s return to Dubai next year, where our hub Dubai essentially becomes a gateway for United to reach Asia, Africa and the Middle East via the combined network of Emirates and flydubai. We look forward to developing our partnership with United for the long term.”
Emirates President Sir Tim Clark
What About Emirates passengers?
Beginning in November, Emirates passengers flying into three of the country’s major business hubs – Chicago, San Francisco, and Houston – will have access to nearly 200 U.S. cities on the United network, the majority of which require only a one-stop connection. Both airlines will have an interline agreement in place at eight other US airports served by Emirates: Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, JFK, Orlando, Seattle, and Washington DC.
“This agreement unites two iconic, flag carrier airlines who share a common commitment to creating the best customer experience in the skies. United’s new flight to Dubai and our complementary networks will make global travel easier for millions of our customers, helping boost local economies and strengthen cultural ties. This is a proud moment for both United and Emirates employees, and I look forward to our journey together.“
United CEO: Scott Kirby
What other benefits?
Passengers of both airlines will soon be able to book these connecting flights on a single ticket, making check-in and luggage transfer quicker and easier. For example, travellers will be able to book a flight from Newark/New York to Karachi, Pakistan via United.com or the United app, or they will be able to book a flight from Dubai to Atlanta or Honolulu via Emirates.com.
This agreement will also provide both airlines’ loyalty programme members with more opportunities for rewards: Members of United MileagePlus® who fly from Newark/New York to Dubai will soon be able to earn and redeem miles when connecting on Emirates and flydubai, and Emirates Skywards members will be able to earn miles when travelling on United-operated flights. When connecting to and from United’s new Dubai flight, eligible United customers will soon have access to Emirates lounges.
The End of the Agreement between Emirates and the only US Partner
After more than ten years of collaboration, Emirates’ partnership with New York’s hometown airline JetBlue will come to an end next month.
Sources
- Cover Photo is by Lukas Souza | Simple Flying
- Simple Flying News
- PR Newswire
- Emirates
Youssef Yahya is the CEO and Founder of Aviation for Aviators, a platform dedicated to the aviation industry. With over 3 years of experience as an aviation writer, Youssef is passionate about sharing his insights on aviation, entrepreneurship, and the broader business landscape. As a Teaching Assistant in Entrepreneurship at Nile University, he also nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs. When he’s not exploring the skies or business ventures, you can find him saying, ‘Drag your coffee, and let’s talk aviation, entrepreneurship, and football.’
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Mohammed Rizwan