Quantcast

United Airlines’ summer use of low-capacity 167-seat Boeing 767s

United Airlines’ summer use of low-capacity 167-seat Boeing 767s
Policy
Webp received 1996230817455400
United Airlines Boeing 767s | Official Website

United Airlines operates a significant number of long-haul flights worldwide. Among its fleet, the 167-seat Boeing 767-300ERs stand out as the carrier's lowest-capacity widebody aircraft. Data from ch-aviation reveals that United Airlines has 24 of these aircraft. Cirium Diio data indicates that, during the summer, these planes will be utilized on 11 routes to Europe departing from Newark and Chicago O'Hare. The route from Newark to London Heathrow accounts for 42% of these flights, making it a crucial high-yielding connection. "The high-yielding link from Newark to London Heathrow remains utterly vital."

Most of United's flights to Europe utilize widebody planes, accounting for about 88% of these services, although some routes also employ narrowbody Boeing 757-200s and 737 MAX 8s. In total, United Airlines operates 225 all-Boeing twin-aisle aircraft. Among these, the 167-seat 767s make up roughly a tenth of the fleet.

The 167-seat 767s are favored for use in high-yielding transatlantic markets, where demand from business travelers is sufficient to justify the aircraft's lower capacity. Only a third of the plane's seats are economy class, with the remainder offered as premium seating options. "It's also important to Switzerland and the ever-popular Nice and Naples," United Airlines reported.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Some of the prominent routes for United’s 167-seat 767s include Newark to London Heathrow, Newark to Zurich, and Chicago O'Hare to London Heathrow, each offering daily services. The aircraft's presence on these routes reflects a shift from economy to premium seating, helping United Airlines enhance revenue by focusing on higher seat revenue from a larger proportion of premium seats.

Nevertheless, the increased seat revenue comes at the cost of higher seat-mile costs due to fewer seats spreading over the costs. However, United Airlines expects that the higher revenue from premium seating will outweigh this. "Such a tiny main cabin meant improved overall revenue quality from less need to compete for the market's lowest and very competitive bottom."

In the last year, there has been a 5% increase in flights on the 167-seat 767s, reaching 3,081 takeoffs in the April to September period compared to 2,930 the previous year. This uptick results primarily from an increase in Newark to London Heathrow flights from six to seven daily, despite a decrease in Newark to Paris CDG flights and the discontinuation of Newark to Munich services using this configuration.

While United Airlines decided not to operate this configuration from Washington Dulles this year, it plans to reintroduce these aircraft to the airport for flights to London and Zurich in the winter of 2025/2026.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

According to a recent report, an unusual incident occurred on an American Airlines flight.

Jun 8, 2025

Southwest Airlines is commemorating its 54th anniversary with a promotional campaign offering significant discounts on flights.

Jun 8, 2025

Ontario, California, marked a significant milestone by welcoming its second long-haul passenger route from STARLUX Airlines, connecting to Taipei.

Jun 8, 2025

Alaska Airlines is set to enhance its inflight dining experience by expanding its fresh food offerings.

Jun 8, 2025

Spirit Airlines is considering postponing or canceling some of its Airbus orders due to the ongoing trade conflict between the United States and the European Union.

Jun 8, 2025

Delta Air Lines flight 2089 experienced a delay of one hour and 35 minutes on June 1st, as reported by FlightAware.

Jun 8, 2025