United Airlines offers flights to more than 210 destinations in the US. In addition to its regional operations, it also operates in 120 destinations worldwide. From its global network of eight hubs worldwide, you can choose to get onboard on the business, premium plus, economy plus, and basic economy flights it offers. But which are the top international routes from Washington that this carrier operates in terms of seat availability? Let's find out.

A few top routes of United Airlines under 10,000 seats

According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, there are only 71.5 seats per departure on United’s operations from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) for July 2024. With four operations from IAD to YYZ (and an identical number of operations from YYZ to IAD), United will have 248 operations between IAD and YYZ this month. These will be carried out on Embraer 170 and Embraer 175 that United operates. Air Canada is the only other carrier offering a non-stop flight on this route.

Other noteworthy international routes (under 10,000 seats) that United operates from IAD

The number of operations that United will have from IAD to Athens Airport (ATH) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is identical. While the number of seats per departure from IAD to either of these two airports is also the same, the 38,930,544 ASMs that United offers on the IAD-ATH route is almost 9 million ASMs higher.

Let’s take a look at the competitors of United Airlines along the IAD-ATH route:

United also offers a one-stop flight on this route with a stopover at either New York or Chicago. While the flight via New York is approximately 12 hours and 30 minutes long, the one via Chicago is almost 2 hours longer.

United Airlines’ international routes from Washington with 10,000-15,000 seats

In the 31 operations that United will have from IAD to Brussels Airport (BRU), the carrier will offer 10,850 seats, which amounts to 350 seats per departure. United Airlines competes with Brussels Airlines along this route, as these two are the only carriers offering non-stop flights.

United Airlines offers flights to (and from) Brussels along this route on its Boeing 777-300ERs, while Brussels operates A330s. Both of these carriers have a flight of approximately 8 hours.

IAD to Cancun International Airport (CUN) has the lowest seats per departure on this carrier’s routes from Washington, which offer more than 10,000 seats. United is the only carrier offering non-stop flights on this route. Some of the other carriers offering a one-stop flight on this route include:

• Delta Air Lines via Detroit or Atlanta
• American Airlines via Charlotte

United Airlines also offers a one-stop flight on this route with stopovers at either Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), or New York (EWR).

United Airlines offers 14,849 seats for passengers on the IAD—Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) route and the same number of seats on the IAD-Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) route. ITA Airways is the only competitor of United for non-stop IAD-FCO flights. While ITA Airways uses the Airbus A330 on this route, United flies along this route on its Boeing 777s and Boeing 767s.

United Airlines operates two international routes with over 15,000 seats from Washington

United’s operations from IAD to Heathrow offer passengers slightly over 17,000 seats. United’s competitors along this route include the likes of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Like United, British Airways offers flights on its Boeing 777s on this route. However, the British flag carrier also operates its Airbus A380s on IAD-LHR route.

United’s flight from IAD to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) offers 19,406 seats - the highest on the list. IAD-FRA route isn’t the United's route with the highest seats per departure on this list, though - it is the second-highest. Alongside United Airlines, Lufthansa is the only carrier offering direct flights on this route. While Lufthansa uses the Airbus A340 series on this route, United offers flights on its Boeing 777s.