United Launches Winnipeg Routes, Increases Capacity to Canada

This week, United Airlines announced an expansion of its Canadian network in 2024. 

In addition to the previously announced resumption of routes to Halifax (YHZ) and Vancouver (YVR), United will resume service on routes from Chicago (ORD) and Denver (DEN) to Winnipeg (YWG), and will also increase capacity to a handful of other Canadian cities.

United’s Chicago–Winnipeg Route

On January 25, 2024, United Airlines announced the resumption of service between Chicago (ORD) and Winnipeg (YWG).

Service between the two cities stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and hasn’t resumed until this year.

The daily year-round service will begin on May 23, 2024.

The scheduled northbound flying time from Chicago to Winnipeg is clocked at 2 hours 24 minutes, while the southbound flight from Winnipeg to Chicago is set at 2 hours 21 minutes.

The flights times on this route are as follows:

• UA5748 Chicago (ORD) to Winnipeg (YWG), departing at 1pm and arriving at 3:24pm
• UA5871 Winnipeg (YWG) to Chicago (ORD), departing at 2:15pm and arriving at 4:36pm

The two-cabin Embraer E175 aircraft, with two classes of service available, will operate this route. It’s worth noting that it’ll be the only airline to offer direct service between the two cities.

The flights are now loaded into United’s booking channels, and can be booked throughout the schedule.

It’s worth noting that Chicago (ORD) is a major United hub, and one to which many other Star Alliance airlines fly. Therefore, this resumed route will be of benefit to Winnipeg-based Aeroplan collectors who wish to catch long-haul flights to Europe and Asia out of Chicago.

United’s Denver–Winnipeg Route

United Airlines has also announced the resumption of its Denver (DEN)–Winnipeg (YWG) route, which last saw service in 2020.

The daily year-round service will also begin on May 23, 2024, and United will be the sole airline to offer direct service between these two cities.

The northeast-bound flight from Denver to Winnipeg is slated to run 2 hours 18 minutes, while the southwest-bound flight from Winnipeg to Denver is scheduled for 2 hours 31 minutes.

The flight times for the route are as follows:

• UA5632 Denver (DEN) to Winnipeg (YWG), departing at 9:45am and arriving at 1:03pm
• UA5835 Winnipeg (YWG) to Denver (DEN), departing at 4:15pm and arriving at 5:46pm

This route is also served by the Embraer E175, with two classes of service to choose from.

The flights are now loaded into United’s booking channels, and can be booked throughout the schedule.

United Increases Capacity to Other Canadian Destinations

In addition to the resumption of two routes to Winnipeg, as well as the previously announced return to service from Newark (EWR)–Halifax (YHZ) and Washington Dulles (IAD)–Vancouver (YVR), United will add capacity on some of its other key Canadian routes for 2024.

Beginning in August 2024, United will use its mainline Airbus A319 aircraft on two flights per day between Newark (EWR) and Montreal (YUL), with up to 128 seats available across two cabins. These replace the Embraer E170 aircraft, which offer 70 seats in two classes of service.

In a press release, United also states that it will operate bigger planes more often between Denver (DEN) and Edmonton (YEG). This appears to refer to the switch from a 150-seat Airbus A320 to a 166-seat Boeing 737-800, which is set to begin on June 26, 2024.

This year, United will operate thrice-daily flights between Chicago (ORD) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ), ramping up to 4x-daily flights as of August 2024.

As of May 23, 2024, United will offer daily service between Chicago (ORD) and Quebec City (YQB). This route was last offered in October 2019, and briefly again in August 2020.

United will also continue to offer flights between Quebec City (YQB) and Newark (EWR).

Lastly, United will continue to operate daily flights between Calgary (YYC) and San Francisco (SFO) this summer, jumping up to twice-daily for the month of August, according to data from Cirium.

Conclusion

United Airlines has announced the expansion of its service to many Canadian destinations throughout 2024. 

Notably, it’s resuming service to Winnipeg (YWG) from both Chicago (ORD) and Denver (DEN), and is also increasing capacity on a number of other key Canadian routes.

The flights are all available to book on various platforms throughout the 2024 schedule, including with Aeroplan and United MileagePlus.