United adds ten European A321XLR routes, Delta pushes back
United Airlines said on 30 August that it will launch ten new nonstop European routes next spring using Airbus A321XLR jets, a strategy Delta Air Lines opposed, arguing it prefers larger aircraft for long-haul flights. The plan follows a series of announcements that began in August, when United first detailed a slate of new international services for 2027, including routes to Sicily, Okinawa and other cities.
The airline later unveiled its first A321XLR, slated for Amsterdam and Dublin service in December, and confirmed it would restore all 2026 destinations while delaying delivery of a new A321neo dubbed the “Coastliner. ”