Over the past few years, United Airlines has been quick to try and differentiate itself from the competition through the addition of nonstop services to new, unique destinations.
The airline has become well-known for doing this on the international front, with the airline building out a healthy network of international destinations that are off the beaten path. However, the airline has been quick to find sustained success doing something similar with domestic air travel markets.
This week, we got one of our best looks yet at how United is looking to double down on premium passenger traffic within domestic markets.
On Friday, it was announced that United Airlines would begin operating direct flights between its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Jackson Hole International Airport (JAC).
These new flights will cater to high-spending ski travelers headed to the Wyoming resort town for getaways. In this article, we will take a deeper look at these new routes and everything that they bring to the table.
A Deeper Look At These New Services
It is not surprising to see United Airlines looking to launch new non-stop flights to Jackson Hole International Airport, but what is more interesting is exactly how the airline is choosing to do so.
The carrier will begin flying nonstop from Dulles to Jackson Hole on December 20 of this year. The airline will operate these flights using the Boeing 737-700, an aircraft that operates with the following configuration:
Cabin: | Number of seats on a United Airlines Boeing 737-700: |
|---|---|
United First | 12 |
Economy Plus | 36 |
Economy | 78 |
Therefore, the airline will be operating these flights exactly once per week on Saturdays, transporting just 126 passengers in each direction between Jackson Hole and Dulles Airport. This route will follow a somewhat standard operating schedule.
In the outbound direction, these nonstop services will depart from Dulles at 09:00 and touch down in Jackson Hole at 11:40, after a scheduled four hours and 40 minutes in the air.
In the return direction, flights will depart from Jackson at 14:30 and touch back down in Washington at 20:45 after four hours and 15 minutes in the air. These services will operate as United Airlines Flight 2671 and United Airlines Flight 689.
What Purpose Does This Flight Serve?
Traditionally, legacy carriers build their operations around operating high-volume nonstop services to major destinations. Once-weekly services have been traditionally within the operational realm of low-cost carriers, but full-service airlines have historically stayed further away.
Now, legacy carriers are looking towards operating these kinds of services mostly to cater to a high-paying demographic of premium travelers.
United Airlines already serves Jackson Hole from multiple destinations, meaning that this flight is mostly meant to offer a convenient option for those willing to pay extra for the comfort.
As one would expect, United Airlines is charging a price premium in these markets. For its non-stop flights between Jackson and Denver, a round-trip ticket during the peak holiday weekends will run you around $1,400, according to the carrier’s website.
United has yet to respond to Simple Flying’s request for comment on this route launch.
Which Airlines Serve Jackson Hole Airport?
Most major US airlines do operate flights to and from Jackson Hole Airport, but there is a relatively limited presence of low-cost carriers.
Most airlines operate far more seasonal services to the facility than year-round ones, mostly due to the nature of travel demand to and from the Wyoming resort.
Year-round, American Airlines serves Jackson from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Delta Air Lines serves the city from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), and United Airlines serves the airport from Denver International Airport (DEN).
Beyond this, all flights are peak season services during the major travel months, including the peak winter travel period, as Jackson is a ski destination.
Alaska Airlines operates flights to Jackson during peak months from San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
United, Delta, and American all operate additional peak-season flights to hubs around the country.
