United Airlines will launch nearly hourly shuttle service between Newark and Washington Reagan National Airport on Oct. 31, the carrier announced.
The shuttle service will have 18 daily flights between the two airports between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days per week. In addition, United is adding five new flights between New York LaGuardia and Washington Dulles, bringing its total daily flights between those two airports to nine.
• Related: Delta adding departures out of N.Y.-area airports
In total, those new flights bring United to about 32 daily flights between the New York and Washington areas, an increase of 78% compared with its previous capacity. United says it is the highest of any airline between the two markets.
First-class service
All of those flights, as well as all other flights out of the three major New York-area airports, will include a first-class option as of Oct. 31, according to United. The carrier is using its new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, which include 16 first class and 54 economy plus seats, on 22 daily flights out of the New York area. It also is using its new Bombardier CRJ-550 design, with 50 seats -- instead of the usual design of 70 or more seats for the aircraft type -- including 10 first class, 20 economy plus and 20 standard economy seats.
• Related: United plans big transatlantic expansion
"Our customers who regularly travel between Washington, D.C., and New York have told us they value convenience and comfort above all else," Ankit Gupta, senior vice president of domestic planning and United Express, said in a statement.
Source: Business Travel News